


Season of Lust

by HazelRoses



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Animal Death, Crack Relationships, F/M, Romance, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-05-14 23:51:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 45,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14779631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazelRoses/pseuds/HazelRoses
Summary: Kiba’s rut threw his sex drive to insatiable levels once a year. The constant need to have sex drove him crazy and the only thing able to stop it was finding a mate. As he contemplates how he’d find one, a woman he never looked twice at catches his attention. Sakura Haruno, the Hokage’s protégé. She’d grown into a beautiful and strong kunoichi that any man would be lucky to have. A drinking competition proves to be the perfect time to ask her on a date. Each day, misunderstanding, and intimate moment brings them closer together. As their relationship flourishes, a rival clan makes moves to destroy the Inuzukas over their decades long feud. Lives are lost and the notion of peace may never reach fruition.





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written in 2014. I have always enjoyed crack pairings and didn't see much on this pairing.

Kiba paced his room, brushing a clawed hand through his unruly, cinnamon-colored tresses. He growled in irritation as he moved to the large window in his room, placing both hands on the sill and gazing out at the forestry that surrounded the Inuzuka compound. As he watched the autumn leaves swirling in the gentle breeze, he turned his gaze to the part of his body that refused to go down. Kiba exhaled in annoyance at the throbbing sensation and the hell-like temperature of his room.

The dog ninja was in a rut. Every year after the age of eighteen, the members of his clan would have a week out of the year where their sex drives would skyrocket. No matter how many times Kiba was intimate with someone, the feeling returned within five minutes. He was still horny, and nothing relieved the heat flooding his body. It decreased over time, but it still nagged him. Last year, that feisty blonde Ino had been the object of his lust. Kiba fucked her everywhere: in the woods, in each of their rooms, even on top of a roof once. Despite the many times they had sex, the male never reached satisfaction.

He had to find a mate to stop ruts from happening. At twenty-two years old, the Inuzuka wasn't interested in settling down, but when he thought about it, it wasn't a bad idea. Kiba already had his years of fucking any girl he wanted. He got in their pants, but he didn't want a relationship with any of them. Kiba couldn't remember the last time he had a steady girlfriend. It had to be as an early teenager. He hadn't dated in years.

“I'm heading out Akamaru,” the male said looking over at his companion. The large white canine raised his ears.

“Can't stand it any longer, huh? Why don't you hump your pillow? I do that all the time and it makes me feel better.”

Kiba frowned at Akamaru's words. “It better not have been my pillow!”

Kiba trudged across the wooden floors, grabbed his grey jacket, and made a beeline for the front door. He had to find something to distract him from his throbbing erection.

The chilly air gave him some relief. The wind wasn't blowing hard, but it bit at him and cooled his heated flesh. Sounds of fallen leaves crunching underneath his sandals echoed in Kiba's sharp ears, but he ignored the familiar sound, mulling over what it would be like with a mate. He would be with one female forever... did he want that? Having pups from multiple women didn't sound as appealing as it used to. Ino was just a quick fling, Hinata was like a sister to him, and kunoichi wasn't a popular job among the female population.

The male had already decided that he wanted a ninja for a wife. Kunoichi were strong. Women who could protect themselves were downright sexy. They were lean, with muscular builds, features that made his blood boil. Civilian women tried to cling to him in the past, but they seemed more attracted to the money ninjas made more than anything. He didn't want a leech or a “stay at home” wife. His mother taught him that if you wanted to eat, you'd better work, and that was a given with female shinobi.

Kiba wandered the bustling streets of Konoha. His dark orbs moved over the different vendors trying to sell their goods. The sound of children laughing as they played in between the stands reached his ears and he chuckled as one of the sale's men shook his fists at the kids. It didn't take long for him to reach the bridge and as he walked across its wide frame, Kiba looked over the almost shoulder high red railing. The water was dark blue and lapping at its shores. When it was warmer, he and Akamaru liked to dive into the almost thirteen-foot river and catch fish. He wouldn't mind doing that now to help with the residual heat that was still coursing through his veins.

Kiba snapped out of the X-rated fantasies to see a shorter woman standing in front of him. She flashed him a smile, bright emerald green eyes locking with his dark ones. The crisp wind was billowing her long coral hair off to the right and she reached up a petite hand to lock one of the stray tresses behind her left ear. His eyes roamed from her angular face and down her slim figure. Sakura Haruno was not only beautiful, but she was a strong kunoichi, one who took care of herself. She was intelligent, becoming one of the best medical ninjas in the country.

They were the same age. He could see how much she had grown since their childhood years, her appearance like that of her teacher, Lady Tsunade. Kiba believed the long pigtails suited her better than the short style she used to wear before. Why hadn't he noticed she was this gorgeous? Even now, bundled up in a red jacket, cheeks tinted pink from the chilly air, she was gorgeous.

“Kiba!”

This time with a fist to his right arm knocked him out of his thoughts. “Ow! What was that for?!”

Sakura gave him an annoyed expression. “I don't like being tuned out Kiba Inuzuka.”

She's feisty too, Kiba thought as he winced and reached a hand up to rub his abused shoulder. “That's going to leave a mark.”

Sakura moved his hand off his arm and held her own over the injury, hand glowing light green with chakra. “You're such a baby.”

Kiba watched with interest as her small hands healed his minor wound. Wow, she was beautiful. His body warmed, and he shifted his legs to avoid attention to the tent that forming in his pants. He never thought about Sakura, but did he just want to fuck her? 

“Well, headed back to work. Don't want to be late from lunch.” Sakura turned on her heels and waved. “Bye Kiba!”

Kiba's eyes never left Sakura until she entered the hospital. His mind continued to reel at the thought of her, which caused his body to heat further. He headed to the training ground to blow off steam. That was the next option... after exhausting masturbation. The Inuzuka looked down at his companion who sat and panted at him. His tail thumped the ground with happiness.

“What?” Kiba asked as they began the trip to the training grounds.

“Looks like you're considering Sakura for a mate.”

Kiba snorted. He entertained the idea, but mating was permanent. Kiba didn't know if he was ready to settle down, he was still young. A mate also meant only one partner. Was it even possible for him? Kiba shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts and turned his attention back to Akamaru.

“She fits the criteria for sure, but I don't know yet.”

It wouldn't hurt to get to know Sakura. He didn't have to jump right into a serious relationship and Sakura didn't seem like a girl who would allow that, anyway. Nodding to himself, he took off and began bounded through the thick trees of the Leaf, his hound right on his heels. When he arrived at the large open area, Kiba inhaled the rich scent of the pine trees and soil. He picked up another scent, smiling when he laid eyes on who it belonged to.

“Hey Kiba, what are you doing out here?”

“Just wanted to blow off a little steam,” he answered as Naruto jogged up to him. “What about you?”

“Just practicing this new jutsu I learned.” Naruto grinned and held a fist up. “I've almost perfected it.”

It was amazing how many years passed, and Naruto maintained his energetic nature. He could control the Kyuubi now, making him almost unstoppable… and still just as dumb sometimes. Still, he would give Kiba a good fight and that should help release some of his pent-up frustrations that had tripled because of his thoughts of a certain kunoichi.

“Hey, Naruto.” Kiba jumped back and dropped into a fighting position with Akamaru at his right side, ready for an attack. “Why don't you try that new jutsu out on me?”

Naruto's blue eyes brightened, and his confident smile broke across his face. “You're on!”

When the two males finished sparring, the sun dipped below the horizon and the surrounding foliage lay flattened around them. Sweat dripped from their bodies as they tried to catch their breath. Naruto clapped Kiba on the back. “Better luck next time!”

“Don't get too cocky.” Kiba stomach growled. He hadn't eaten since earlier that day and after burning all that energy, he was starving.

Naruto heard the loud rumble and laughed. “Let's go get ramen. I'm hungry too!”

Anything sounded good to Kiba. It had been a while since he'd had a delicious bowl of Ichiraku ramen. That old man was an excellent cook. Every ramen shop in the Fire Nation came second to his. Akamaru's tail wagged with excitement, knowing he also would get a bowl to eat. The sun's orange hue surrounded the two males as they made their way back into town. The temperature was dropping with the sun and Kiba suppressed a shiver as the wind picked up.

While they walked, Kiba thought back to his encounter with Sakura. He was interested in knowing more about her. All he knew was that she was a proficient medic, had a fiery temper, and trained underneath Lady Tsunade during her time as Hokage. He wanted to learn things like her favorite food or her hobbies. What were her life goals? Was she a virgin? Was she over Sasuke? Even if she wasn't, Kiba would get to know her, anyway. He could shift her away from that bastard. He was just that fucking awesome.

“Naruto,” Kiba said as they continued through the woods, the village within sight. “What does Sakura like to do?”

Naruto scratched his chin. “Well, she loves being a medic. Her apartment has medical scrolls everywhere. I don't really know anything else now that you mention it.” Naruto's eyes lit up. “Wait, Sakura-chan likes to cook! She's not great, but one day she'll get it.”

Kiba laughed at that thought. He himself was a fantastic cook if he said so himself. Maybe it was because of his keen sense of smell. He knew beforehand if the dish would delight one's palate or make them spit it out. He and Sakura could have fun in the kitchen.

“Wait, why do you want to know?”

Kiba smirked. “Because I'm going after Sakura.”

“What?!” Naruto exclaimed. “You can't have her!”

“You already have Hinata, you idiot!”

The blonde stopped his rampage for a moment. “Oh yeah, you're right.”

It had taken the oblivious male quite some time to realize that Hinata cared about him. Hinata worked up the courage to tell Naruto that she wanted to be with him. One day, she and Shino were sparing when Naruto and Kiba had shown up. They sparred two versus two and then the two winners would battle. Hinata ended up losing to Naruto, but afterward, she stopped him as everyone was leaving. Her nervousness set in and she ended up twiddling her fingers, looking down, and having a hard time trying to say what she wanted. Naruto grew tired of waiting.

“Spit it out Hinata!” he shouted.

His outburst frightened the Hyuuga, and she shouted back, “I want to be your girlfriend!”

She gasped as Naruto stared at her open-mouthed. The stressed ended up being too much for her and Hinata fainted. It wasn't long after that the two of them started dating. That was over a year ago. Kiba noticed that since Hinata and Naruto started seeing each other, she came out of her shell more. It was like their personalities complemented each other.

Soon Naruto and Kiba were flipping the white sheets back that led to Ichiraku Ramen. A warm bowl would warm them up. They shivered from the drop-in temperature along with having gotten sweaty during their spar session. The older man turned and greeted them with a wide smile.

“Hello boys, it's good to see you!”

“Great to see ya too pops,” Naruto hollered back, taking a seat. “I'll take whatever special you have. I think I'll try something new!”

Teuchi turned back to the stove. “You'll love it! I'll surprise ya good.”

“Works for me!”

Kiba shook his head at Naruto before saying he and Akamaru would have the same thing. It only took about five minutes and the bowls were steaming on the counter. Kiba placed a bowl on the ground and his partner panted his approval. The trio dug in and the Inuzuka's stomach came alive with the first bite, growling with hunger. Kiba always enjoyed the delicious blend of spices. The Sichuan pepper, chili flakes, and the lemon juice were the strongest scents he detected. Kiba decided he should eat instead of pondering over his food.

It didn't take long for them to finish their meal and soon they were waving goodbye to Teuchi.

“Hey Kiba, me and some of the guys are getting drinks later. Want to come?”

Kiba thought about it for a moment. Maybe some alcohol and surrounding himself with males would help take the edge off his rut. A constant erection was annoying. Sure, why not? It wasn't like he had any plans. Sad that someone his age had no plans on a Friday night. He needed to branch out more.

“Yeah, I'll go, what time?”

* * *

“You've got to be kidding me.”

Sakura looked in the mirror at what her friend insisted she wear. Why did she even consider letting Ino dress her for their night out? That woman did not understand modesty. That was clear from the tiny tank top she always wore. Sakura felt her cheeks turn red with embarrassment. Why on earth would she wear something so skimpy when it was forty degrees and dropping outside? Ino had her in an outfit like the purple one she wore most days, but this one was red and tied around the back of her neck. The shirt also had high slits on the sides and mesh covered her stomach and legs. Was she picking up men or having a girl's night?

Ino puffed her blonde bangs out of her face. “Don't be a prude. It looks good on you!”

“Thanks, but I'm not trying to get frostbite,” Sakura answered, reaching for her large winter jacket. “I can treat it, but I'd rather not.”

“You exaggerate too much. Take that off once we get there.”

Sakura grabbed her wallet and gazed at her friend in annoyance. “I'll think about it.”

Soon they headed to Shinobi's Corner to meet with Hinata and Tenten. It had been a while since they last enjoyed each other's company. Everyone was so busy nowadays; it left no room for socializing. Her teeth were clacking together and eyes watering from the sharp wind as the two made their way towards the bar. Goosebumps lined her skin despite wearing a jacket. By the time they arrived, Sakura couldn’t feel her hands. Why didn't she change clothes again?

The two stepped into the bright building, relishing the warmth that enveloped them. The toasty air had never felt so wonderful to Sakura and she rubbed her hands together to rid them of the numb feeling. Ino looked around and pointed out their friends, who were sitting in a booth together. Hinata and Tenten smiled at them when they sat down.

“That sure is um… a nice outfit Sakura,” Tenten teased.

Sakura rolled her eyes. “This dork next to me insisted that I wear it.”

“I didn't force you to do anything,” Ino taunted. “You must like it or otherwise you would have changed.”

“Look you-”

Tenten held up her hands as a signal for them to calm down before things got ugly. “It looks nice Sakura, no worries. It seems like you would freeze your ass off in that though.”

“Oh, trust me, my ass is freezing,” Sakura grumbled.

Soon the women were ordering drinks and enjoying each other's company. So much had happened since their last session almost four months ago. Ino smiled at Tenten while stirred her straw in her tea. “So how is the baby?”

Tenten blushed and rubbed her protruding stomach. “The baby is fine. Neji and I are excited to meet this little one.”

“You guys sure didn't waste any time,” Sakura teased. “You got married three months ago!”

Tenten smiled before leaning forward and saying, “Actually, this baby was already inside me when we got married.”

That caught Sakura by surprise, but not too much. Tenten and Neji were together for years so it wasn't shocking. She wondered how the Hyuuga Clan would take to Neji marrying someone not in their clan. Tenten frowned when Sakura asked that question.

“They do not want to accept me or my baby,” she said with a grimace. A confident smile broke over her features. “Neji says he will fight them until they accept it or renounce his position as a part of the Hyuuga Clan.”

“That's some serious stuff,” Ino said, eyebrows raised. “How do you feel about that Hinata?”

The quiet girl hooked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I think they should accept Tenten. They will have to accept Naruto too.”

That made sense now that Hinata and Naruto were dating. It had taken that idiot long enough to realize how much the Byakugan user cared about him. Even when she told him that she loved him outright during her fight with Pein, he still didn't acknowledge it. That may have been due to the war with Obito and Madara. Still, a ninja's life is fleeting. Everything worked out in the end.

Sakura was sure the Hyuuga Clan would fight Naruto and Hinata's union because she was part of the main branch. The elders feared having children with people outside the clan would erase the Byakugan from the family. They would find out with Tenten and Neji's child if the Byakugan was a dominant gene. Sakura didn't doubt it was.

The girls continued chatting until Tenten gazed at the door. A smile broke out on her face. “Look who's here.”

They turned to see Neji, Naruto, Kiba, and Rock Lee coming inside. Naruto was the first to notice them and came over to stand next to Hinata. He leaned down to kiss her cheek. Hinata looked up at her partner with a smile. Neji placed a hand on Tenten's shoulder.

“That is nonalcoholic correct?”

Tenten laughed. “Nothing but tea for me.”

Kiba gaze locked on Sakura. What in the hell was she wearing when it was so cold outside? His dark eyes grazed over the pale skin of her thighs and up to her toned abs. He could see the gentle curves she had despite her muscular build. Her long hair hung in a braid over her right shoulder and that red top made her eyes look brighter.

“Why don't you guys join us?” Ino asked, shooting over and patting the spot next to her.

“We would love to sit with you beautiful ladies!” Rock Lee exclaimed before plopping down next to Ino with a smile.

Kiba slid in next to Sakura and grinned at her. “You going to kick my ass again?”

She returned his smile before picking up her drink. “It depends, is there a need to?”

“I'm on my best behavior, promise.” Kiba eyeballed the drink Sakura sipped on and chuckled. “You know that has like four drops of alcohol in it right?”

Sakura held the drink out at arm's length and studied it for a moment. “I didn't think so. Stiff me on the alcohol, will they?”

Kiba started flirting. “Why don't you let me buy you a drink?”

Sakura gave him a quirky smile. “Can you afford it? I'm in a drinking mood tonight.”

“So, like one or two?” Kiba teased.

Sakura rolled her eyes. “You need to raise that number by a lot.”

“Are you sure you can handle that many strong drinks?” Kiba asked, poking her side with his elbow. “Or do you want another weak drink?”

Sakura gave him a solid look. “I can out drink you Kiba.”

Was she challenging him? Kiba's smile widened at the thought of that. Kiba was competitive and if she wanted a drinking contest, so be it. That would help with his rut too since alcohol in large amounts made it so he couldn't get it up. He could use a break. Kiba took this as a chance to ask Sakura out. All their friends quit talking to watch the two.

“So why don't we make things interesting,” Kiba said while turning to face Sakura. “Let's make a bet.”

Sakura's bright green orbs lit up at the thought of that. She tapped a finger on her chin in thought before snapping her fingers and giggling. “If I win, you play my pet dog for a day.”

Kiba frowned. He may have characteristics of a dog, but he wasn't meant to walk on a leash and eat dog treats. Kiba  _had_ to win. He would not do something that embarrassing.

“And if I win, you let me take you out on a date.”

The males gave props to Kiba for his boldness, other than Rock Lee, who was tearing up at the thought of Sakura dating someone. Ino and Tenten squealed with delight while Hinata's face lit up with a bright smile. She had no clue Kiba liked Sakura, but she was glad that he would try for her.

A shocked look filtered over Sakura's features, but it changed to a smirk. “You're on!” She turned to the closest waiter. “Bring the shots!”

The kunoichi knew she would win. On shot eight, she was just buzzed. Sakura used her impressive chakra control to filter her blood faster and slow the effects. That nifty trick helped when she wanted to drink a shit ton without the horrid consequences. She locked eyes with Kiba, who didn't seem to be very affected either by the alcohol. He gave her his fanged grin.

“Ready to give up yet?”

“Not a chance.”

Sakura lost count on what number they were on. Filtering the alcohol had now lost its effect because of how much she drank. Was it 15 or 16 shots? Her vision had gone blurry, and she thought she would puke if she drank another, but she had to beat Kiba. It would be so fun having him play her pet for a day. She was looking forward to it. Kiba wasn't hanging on that well either. His face flushed red and his eyes couldn’t focus on her.

“You're drunk!” she accused, pointing a shaky finger at him.

“No, you're a drunk!” Kiba shouted back, reaching for another shot. “I'll show you, pretty lady!”

A hand rested on Kiba's. They looked up to see Neji giving them a firm expression. “You are both drunk. This is over before you give yourselves alcohol poisoning.”

“But Neji,” Sakura whined.

“No buts.”

“Then who wins?” Kiba slurred. “I win!”

Neji's frown deepened. “Neither of you win. It's a tie so you both must hold up to your end of the bet. Kiba, you'll be Sakura's dog for a day. Sakura, you will go on a date with Kiba.”

“What?!” they both exclaimed.


	2. II

Kiba awoke the next morning with a headache that rivaled painful injuries he received during missions. Damn it, how much had he drank last night? What the heck happened? Kiba sat up and winced at the pain lacing through his head and put his hands up to his temples. He needed to get medicine and fast.

"You shouldn't drink that much."

A hungover Inuzuka looked at his dog through bleary eyes before falling back onto the mattress and pulling the covers over his head. "Shut up."

Akamaru jumped onto his bed and curled up beside him. Kiba's hand rubbed his dog's ears. "What happened last night? Naruto and Shikamaru brought you home smelling like way too much alcohol."

Kiba covered his head with a pillow and told Akamaru everything from what Sakura was wearing to how they started a drinking contest. He pondered hard to remember the night's events. Kiba vowed he wouldn't drink that much alcohol ever again, but at least now he had a date with Sakura... although he also had to play the role of her pet for a day. He groaned and wondered just what that pink-haired woman would make him do.

If the dog could laugh, he would have at Kiba's predicament. "Where will your date be?"

Kiba exhaled. "I'm not sure yet. Sakura doesn't seem like a movie and flowers type of girl. She'll want to do something fun. I have to talk to her. We need to decide when we’ll hold up our ends of the bet."

"Well, if you got up sometime today, you can go find her."

Kiba peeked from under his pillow and blanket at the clock. It was one in the afternoon. His eyes widened. His mother must not have been home because she would have kicked him awake by now, hung over or not. Akamaru confirmed. His mom left for a week-long mission. Kiba chuckled at his luck; his mom had a habit of scaring away possible girlfriends so if she wasn't here then he would have a better chance of getting a solid start with Sakura.

"Sakura," he murmured out loud.

She was beautiful, smart, and feisty. Kiba liked that. He had to know more. Too bad Naruto’s info on her was only that she liked medical scrolls and cooking. That was fine. Kiba would rather figure her out without the help of someone else. Sitting up despite his throbbing headache, Kiba got out of bed and entered the kitchen in search of medicine. He didn't have to worry about feeding Akamaru since his sister Hana would do so if he wasn't up yet, but his buddy wanted to go for a walk. Kiba rummaged through the cabinets and relief washed over him when he found aspirin. After taking it, he scavenged the fridge for lunch. While it warmed up, Akamaru's mate Tamako came into the kitchen and rubbed against Kiba's leg. He reached down to brush his fingers through her tawny fur then rubbed her large belly. Tamako was due soon and from the ultrasound, she would have about nine pups.

"Can you refill my water bowl Kiba?" she asked as she licked his leg. "It's been getting dry faster these days."

Akamaru moved to his companion's side and licked her face. She returned his affections before giving him a soft nip. The male dog went to fetch Tamako's water bowl for her and Kiba sat at the table to eat, every few moments sneaking her a bite of the beef he was eating.

"What's it like having a mate Tamako?" Kiba asked as he toyed with the seaweed on his plate.

"Well," the female dog started as she laid on her side. "It's great to have a mate. I'm glad we're part of a clan or else he would run around getting other bitches pregnant."

Kiba locked his arms behind his head. "He wants to breed with other dogs?"

Tamako licked his ankle. "Remember Kiba that dogs aren't like humans. It's not hurtful for a male to get others pregnant as it isn't for the females to get pregnant by other males. True, since we are part of this clan we mate for life, but if we weren't, Akamaru would get other females pregnant. He can't help it. It's in his nature."

"Is reproducing all a dog cares about?" he questioned as he got up to put his plate in the sink.

"Yes," she answered. "Pups are the desired outcome."

Kiba sighed, realizing it wasn't the best idea to ask an animal for their take on having a partner. He refused to ask his mother for two reasons: one, she frightened off his father and two, she wasn't in town. His sister was single too so no point in talking to her. Just then Akamaru trotted back in with Tamako's water bowl and Kiba filled it up, placing it near the refrigerator. Tamako struggled for a moment to get to her feet before moving over to the water bowl. Kiba needed to find one of his close friends to confide in, but first, he needed a shower.

* * *

Sakura shuffled through work at the hospital. Her head pounded she got up that morning. She couldn't convince Shizune to perform a chakra technique that eased painful headaches. The dark-haired woman declined, stating Sakura deserved to suffer for drinking so much. Shizune told her she was acting more like Tsunade each day. Sakura insisted that she wasn't, but her actions spoke louder than words. good thing there were no surgeries that day because focusing wasn't her strong suit right now.

When Sakura woke up the next morning on Ino's bedroom floor, the blonde informed her of the events that transpired and why she now had the most raging head trauma she’d ever experienced. She and Kiba swore they could out drink each other. They both won since Neji halted the contest before someone got alcohol poisoning. Now she had a date with her animalistic comrade. Sakura's eyebrows furrowed with irritation. Kiba apparently liked her if he wanted to take her out, but his goal was to get in her pants. It was his mating season time. Then again, he didn't take Ino out last year during his rut. Her friend and Kiba ended up at her place after a few drinks. Ino said he was so amazing in bed she wanted to jump on him again... pig.

Sakura decided to Hinata about Kiba. She was his teammate and would know if Kiba had ill intentions. Right now, Sakura was unsure about the whole situation. She made a bet though and she would hold up her end, but she refused to fall into Kiba's arms. She wasn't even sure how she felt about him. Sakura never paid attention to him before. Her eyes remained locked on Sasuke Uchiha.

The medic grasped her next chart to prepare for patient who got a kunai stuck through his hand during practice. The kids nowadays didn't pay attention to what they were doing.

Sakura's legs moved on autopilot, her mind tracing back to a certain Inu Nin. She was positive he would seek her out soon. She’d study his features better then. For now, she would come up with ways to embarrass Kiba when she paraded him around as her pet dog. Giggles bubbled up the medic's throat as she opened the door to see her patient. 

* * *

Hinata dodged away just as Shino's bugs almost captured her. The Hyuga princess panted hard, pulling her dark purple hair out of her face and smiling at her friend. Every morning, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba sparred to keep on top of their game. Each of them were Jounin and often deployed on hard missions. It was imperative their skills always remained sharp. Sometimes even Kurenai-sensei came to assist them, but nowadays Kairi had most of her attention. The two-year-old was a handful so the former students understood their sensei's responsibilities.

However, the child seemed to love watching them battle so when Shikamaru wasn't busy, he would bring her by. It also seemed like Kairi was fond of Shino the most. She brought out something in the bug user that Hinata had never seen before. Her comrade would be a good father one day. He would swing her with the help of his insects, (which she found amusing and not icky) making her giggle.

"Gentle Fist!" Hinata shouted when she moved close enough to Shino.

_I got him,_ she cheered in her mind when her hand connected, but that was short lived when Shino turned into a swarm of insects. They moved to hit her in the stomach and Hinata dodged once more.

"Do you have any idea where Kiba is?" Shino asked.

Hinata whirled around to see her opponent standing behind her. "I saw him last night at a bar with his friends. He got drunk, so he might still be sleeping."

Shino's eyebrows furrowed. "He can be such an idiot."

"Who's an idiot?"

Both ninjas turned to see Kiba ambling towards them. Hinata smiled at him. "How are you feeling Kiba?"

"Got a raging headache, but other than that I'm fine," Kiba answered, leaning against a tree as Akamaru sat at his ankles.

"You deserve it." Shino moved to stand next to Hinata, still gazing in Kiba's direction. "Hinata, I need to talk to Kiba alone. Can you give us a moment?"

"Um sure," Hinata responded as she laced her hands together. "I'll meet you guys at Ichiraku's okay?"

Both male teammates nodded, and their soft-spoken partner headed through the woods back to the village. Shino turned to his teammate. "What's bothering you, Kiba?"

It was a statement. Shino wasn't the type to beat around the bush. He always got straight to the point. That was something Kiba liked about his friend although he was a little too stoic for his tastes. Shino and Neji had similar personalities. He understood why Shino was so serious. His parents were the same way. They were nice people though they didn't say much.

"How did you know I wanted to talk?" Kiba questioned as he gazed up at the bright sun.

Despite that it was high in the sky, he still needed a jacket. Kiba exhaled, watching his breath billow in front of his face. The breeze caused a shiver to move down his spine, but he enjoyed the cooler weather. He didn't have to worry about getting all sticky unless he was training and no worries about getting sunburned. He was prone to peeling despite his tanned skin.

"Because I know you," Shino responded as he walked to stand next to his childhood friend. "Now what's bothering you?"

Kiba exhaled. "I like Sakura."

"Well she is pretty," Shino mused, "but isn't this kind of sudden?"

Kiba explained to his friend everything that happened the day before and expressed the different feeling he got around Sakura compared to other women. He found her body attractive, but he wanted to learn more about her. Shino remained silent as he listened to Kiba's story.

"So, there's something different about her in your eyes," he murmured. "You want to figure it out. This date is the perfect opportunity to see deeper into Sakura. You need to concentrate on her. No stupid stunts trying to be funny. Take your date with her seriously because I doubt Sakura is the type to give second chances."

He had one shot. Sakura wasn't the forgiving type. Kiba had to impress her with the best date of her life. The wheels turned in Kiba's mind. That didn't leave many options, so creativity was key. Kiba smiled to himself, a plan formulating on their date.

* * *

Sakura was on her lunch break and stopped to eat at a small restaurant in the village. They served the best seafood dishes and Sakura had a taste for fish at the moment.  Sakura looked up from the menu and saw familiar purple hair across the street.

"Hey, Hinata!"

The shinobi turned around at the sound of her name and smiled at her friend. After walking the short distance over to the outside restaurant, Hinata took a seat next to the pink-haired woman she had known since childhood.

"Would you like something to eat?" Sakura asked as she continued to gaze at the menu. "They've got great stuff here."

"That sounds nice," Hinata answered, leaning over in her wooden chair to look at the menu in Sakura's hands. "I don't want to eat ramen today."

Sakura understood that. When she and Naruto were kids, it's all they ate... ever. It didn't matter if it was breakfast, lunch, or dinner time. That was all the Jinchuriki wanted. She couldn't stomach ramen all the time. With Hinata being Naruto’s girlfriend, she had to. All that salt was bad for one's health. When the waiter came to assist them, both girls ordered a glass of tea and waited for their breadsticks.  She hoped Hinata would have the answers to her questions, so she'd better ask now. Her lunch break was only thirty minutes.

"Hinata," she began, taking a sip of her tea. "I wanted to ask you a few questions about Kiba."

"You do? what questions did you have in mind?"

"I'm sure you know about Kiba's mating season and how he finds a girl to satiate him during that one-week period. It seems like I'm the girl he's looking at, but then again, I'm not sure. He wanted a date so do you have any idea if he is genuinely interested in me or if he's just trying to get laid?"

Hinata's cheeks burned at the latter part of her sentence. "Well, um. Kiba never asked the girls before on a date so I think he wants to get to know you, but I'm sure that... getting... having..."

"Sex may be his ulterior motive," Sakura finished for her.

Hinata nodded. The waiter returned and took their orders and Sakura handed the blonde male her menu. Kiba wanted sex most right now. That wasn't happening. Did she want a relationship though? Without one, she wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt by some jerk...

Sakura pushed her thoughts away from a certain Uchiha and smiled at her friend. "Thanks for telling me Hinata."

They continued to talk over their lunch and soon it was time for Sakura to go back to work. As she laid down the money for her meal, Hinata stopped her before she could leave.

"Kiba is a good guy, but his rut isn't the best time."

That made sense. Because of Kiba's rut, he wasn't thinking straight most likely so when it was over, they could talk better. There was still their date and her parading him around like a puppy. Sakura doubted she'd be able to hold that off until next week. Today was Tuesday meaning there was still five days left of his rut. What could she do to postpone it?

Naruto ran up Sakura stood to go back to work. "Hey what's the rush?"

"Sakura, the Hokage wants to see us." The blonde smiled with excitement. "We've got a mission."

Sakura groaned. She didn't want a mission! Wait... this mission would keep her out of town for the rest of Kiba's rut. Then he wouldn't be thinking with his penis... well not as much anyway. If she was against dating, why did it matter? Sakura sighed. She was just tired of being alone. The Inuzuka's personality was nothing like Sasuke's and it was obvious that he was interested in her. Sasuke never showed much interested.

"All right let's go."

Naruto nodded and kissed his girlfriend. "There are two more going. We'll meet them at the briefing."

"Okay, bye Hinata!" Sakura called as she and her best friend took off towards the Hokage Tower.

* * *

 

Kiba was busy walking Akamaru (if that's what one could call it) while Shino watched the insects in their habitats when an ANBU Officer appeared near him.

"Kiba Inuzuka," the masked man stated. "The Hokage has summoned you."

Kiba landed on the ground from his place in a tree. The ANBU Officer told him it was for a mission and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kiba said his goodbyes to his quieter friend and jumped on Akamaru's back.As they made their way to the tower, Kiba was more than annoyed this mission would delay his plan to speak to Sakura that evening. The higher the rank, the longer time spent away from the village. True that the pay rate was much higher, but he'd skip the mission if he could to spend time with Sakura. Kiba growled as they stopped on the front steps of the familiar building. His time with Sakura had to wait until he returned. He might not be in a rut anymore, but he realized that was okay. He could pick a mate whenever he chose, not just in mating season.

Kiba and Akamaru traveled to the Hokage's office and knocked before opening the door. He surprised to see that the girl he was just thinking about was standing next to her teammates. Those gorgeous viridian eyes shot open with surprise and when she looked away, Kiba was sure he saw her blushing. He smirked at the thought of being able to make her blush by doing nothing. Maybe it would be easier to win her affection than he thought.

"So, we're all here now let's hear the mission sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, moving from his place next to the dark-haired artist.

"Ah ah ah. That's Hokage to you Naruto."

Naruto growled. "You like rubbing that in my face, don't you?"

The Hokage turned in his chair and his single opaque eye closed, showing he was smiling. Despite that he was now Hokage, the former Jounin still kept his face covered with the dark cloth he always wore unless he was out among the people. Naruto was shocked the first time he saw his former sensei without a mask. For a few moments, the loudmouth remained silent. That was the longest Naruto ever kept his mouth closed.

"It's nothing like that," Kakashi answered. "The job is yours once you finish your training. Now about this mission. It's an A-rank mission from the Village Hidden in the Clouds. They need us to discover who killed their village leader."

"All right!" Naruto exclaimed. "We're on our way."

"Not so fast." Naruto stopped in his tracks and turned to look back at the silver-haired man. "You can't let anyone know why you're there. Our client has informed us she believes the advisers of their land have something to do with it. Do not engage with them if possible."

The four ninjas nodded in understanding.

"Sai, you're the leader of this mission," Kakashi informed. "I can count on you to get things done efficiently."

"Yes, sir."

"Prepare to leave in two hours."

With that, the four ninjas left to gather their belongings. Kiba couldn't believe his luck as he searched his room and bathroom for everything he would need for the trip. This mission gave him plenty of time to get closer to Sakura. They wouldn't be able to go on their date or hold up his end of the bargain, but at least they could talk. The mission came first, but still, he could spend time with her whenever they weren't busy.

"Lucky of you huh Kiba?"

Said ninja grinned. "Yeah, I can't believe we ended up on the same mission."

Akamaru wagged his tail. "Are you going to mate with her while we're on the mission?"

Kiba coughed as heat flooded to his loins at the thought. "That isn't the reason I'm trying to go after her."

"I thought you wanted her to be your mate?" Akamaru trotted over to his companion and nudged his hand.

"I never said that," Kiba mumbled.

He didn't have to. If anyone knew him inside and out, it was Akamaru. Pros and cons came from that. The dog was nosy, so he asked a billion questions until he understood.

"I take then you're just going to learn more about her?" Akamaru whined as he headed for the door. "You humans are so complicated."

Kiba chuckled at that, slinging his pack over his shoulder and following the large dog to the front door. Tamako was waiting for them, her tail wagging. Kiba stopped to scratch behind her ears and rub her belly, a habit he formed when the female dog first showed signs of pregnancy.

"Don't you have those puppies until I get back," Kiba informed her.

She licked his hand in response. "I'll try not to."

"Good girl."

Owner and companion headed towards the front gates of Konoha to meet Sai, Sakura, and Naruto. Weird, Naruto always arrived last. Oh well, they all were there. Sai nodded at all of them and the four-man squad headed into the forest they had grown to know so well. Kiba kept looking over at Sakura, realizing she was trying hard not to catch his eye and she smelled a little nervous. Was that because of him? Well if she wasn't interested at all, she wouldn't feel nervous... right?

Sakura stole a glance at him and Kiba gave her his fanged smile. He chuckled inwardly at the redness that tinted her cheeks. Yeah, it might be easier to get Sakura than he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiba thinks this may be easy, but Sakura definitely isn't going to make it that way! Let me know what you think!


	3. III

The four ninjas bounded through the trees, the wind whipping at their faces. They were silent during their travel, something unusual for both Naruto and Kiba. Naruto gazed over at his teammates, picking up on the slight awkwardness between the dog Nin and his best friend. Sakura's cheeks tinted red while Kiba wore a satisfied smirk on his face. Sai was oblivious, which was a normal occurrence. Naruto remembered the drinking contest from the night before and it ending in a tie. They would go on a date for Kiba's win. For Sakura, Kiba was her pet for 24 hours. That might explain why things were getting strange between them. Naruto didn't know if Sakura realized Kiba's affections, but she would find out. 

"So where are you guys going for your date?" the Jinchuriki asked.

Sakura's face darkened, and she turned her head to gaze at the interesting forest. Kiba chuckled and said, "That's none of your business."

Blonde eyebrows furrowed. "What the hell do you mean it's not my business? Like hell, it isn't!"

That started an argument between the two ninjas and the pink-haired woman rubbed her temples at the sound of their banter. An annoyed kunoichi glared at them both through jade irises before punching Naruto.

"Shut the hell up!" she yelled as her best friend slammed into Kiba. They both plummeted from the trees, landing with a hard thump after breaking through branches on the way down. Sakura turned her nose up as she continued moving, pulling her black sweater around her body before catching up with Sai. The dark-haired artist turned his opaque eyes in her direction.

"You beat them up," he stated, ducking under a thick branch as they moved.

Sakura scowled. "They were getting on my nerves with their arguing."

The ROOT ninja gave her a nonchalant expression. "You beat people up anytime they get on your nerves, so I don't think it justifies your actions."

Sakura bristled at his words and changed the subject before she punched him too. "So why are you with us? You're in the ANBU now so shouldn't you be doing more stealth missions?"

"The Hokage and I have an arrangement," Sai answered. "I get a regular mission outside the ANBU every three to four months. This one is it. I like to see things without having to wear a mask and staying hidden in the shadows."

That made sense. Sai first decided he wanted to stay with Team Kakashi longer when they were kids; he loved being among people. The male suffered affection depravity for too long and once he received it, everything involving people interested him. Sai wanted to understand many bonds between people. Friendship, family, lovers... everything. He'd learned a lot through both his successful and many failed attempts at forming bonds with people. Sai still didn't understand yet and often analyzed a situation before responding. He was making process though.

Naruto and Kiba came bounding behind them, frowns plastered on their faces.

"Do you have to be so violent?" Kiba growled as he fingered a cut he'd gotten on his face from the tumble through the trees.

Accusing green eyes whirled to glare at him. "Well stop being idiots!"

Kiba raised an eyebrow at the woman. Was she serious? She wanted to act like that towards him? That was annoying as hell. He liked her a lot, but her attitude sometimes reminded him of Ino.

"We weren't even talking to you, you butted in!" the ninja snapped.

"So, what if you weren't talking to me! You guys were talking _about_ me! I don't want to hear you two bickering like children so shut up!"

"You don't have to be such a bitch about it," Kiba muttered under his breath, but his teammate still heard him.

Sakura stopped in her tracks. Kiba, Sai, and Naruto gazed over their shoulders at the woman who was clenching her gloved fists at her sides. The blonde and ebony haired males sprinted away from Kiba, knowing he would see the full extent of Sakura's wrath. Kiba watched them both move away and knew he was in for it. Maybe arguing with her wasn't the best thing to do, but it was in his nature. He was a male Inuzuka, they were the dominant one, not the female. That could be a problem when Sakura always asserted herself as dominant. Damn it, Kiba hoped that she would at least heal him after she beat him to a bloody pulp.

* * *

 

Night came, and the Leaf ninjas set up camp. Kiba still felt like an elephant stepped on his face. Sakura grudgingly healed him when Sai pointed out that someone who couldn't move would be a hindrance to their progress, but it still hurt despite the hours that had passed. He wouldn't do that again. When the enraged female had broken his arm that was enough of a reminder. How did Naruto and Sai put up with her attitude? Kiba was headstrong so he knew they would go at it again. The Inuzuka was used to females who just listened to what he said, like Hinata. This stubborn kunoichi was the total opposite.

The four-man squad was setting up camp for the night, Kiba searching for firewood with Akamaru at his heels. The large dog moved to his side and looked up at him. "Didn't your mom tell you not to call human females that?"

Kiba growled as he picked up thick pieces of wood, still a little ticked at how that woman beat him within an inch of his life. "I forgot."

The big canine tilted his head as if not believing his master's words. "Well, she gave you a good way to remember, didn't she?"

"Like hell she did." The tanned male gathered a few more sticks before moving back to the campsite, letting his nose lead him since it was a cloudy, moonless night.

When he arrived back, Sai was lying out their sleeping bags while Naruto placed the fish he had caught on sticks. Kiba had every intention of grabbing the biggest one, but that would cause another fight with the blonde thus ending with another beating from Sakura. At least he was learning from his mistake... but where did they go from there? He had to win her good side back before they returned from the mission, so they could go out on their date.

Why was she so complicated? All the previous girls he had been with were nowhere near this hard to figure out. He was just starting with her and was failing, but the Inu Nin was not a quitter. Kiba was just as stubborn. Sakura placed the firewood down, cracked a rock against another, and created a spark that started a small flame. As it grew, Naruto adjusted the sticks, so the fish roasted over the flames. Kiba's stomach growled at the scent wafting from the food. He hadn't eaten since that morning, none of them did and he figured they might have to catch more fish.

Kiba saw Sakura was ignoring him as she sat on the ground, knees drawn to her chest, poking the fire with a stick. She was so pretty when she was angry. Pink eyebrows knitted, a slight frown on her face and the fire reflecting in those deep green eyes was ironic. Kiba watched as the object of his lust reached up to tuck a silky strand of her hair behind her ear, exposing a slender neck. From that little motion, Kiba's lust shot through the roof. When a potential female mate exposed her neck during the mating process, that was a sign she accepted the male and they would mark each other. Sakura had no idea, but it didn't stop the flare of heat that knocked the chill of the night off his body.

 _Look at her,_  Kiba thought as he clenched his fists, trying hard not to haul her to her feet and press her body against his.  _She doesn't even realize what she's doing to me._

"I'm going to take a bath," Kiba blurted out, heading off to the sound of water.

"Wait Kiba, it's forty degrees out here. You'll get sick if you try to bathe," Sakura called after him.

Wasn't she mad at him two seconds ago? Oh well; he preferred she wasn't. Kiba looked over his shoulder at her, giving her his fanged smirk. "Thanks for worrying about me, but I'll be fine."

Sakura's cheeks flared darker than they were from the biting cold air. "I was just... I mean..."

The way she was stumbling over her words made his ego rise a notch as he turned with Akamaru following him. They reached the river within a few minutes. His raging hormones hadn't subsided at all and caused the lower half of his anatomy to respond. The cold water would alleviate that. Kiba stripped out of his clothes, his teeth chattering as the chilly air bit him on the ass. Without thinking twice about it, Kiba dove into the water, the river's surface hitting him like a thousand knives piercing his body.

"D-damn it," Kiba cursed when he resurfaced, arms wrapping around his chest.

Sakura said it was forty degrees outside, but the water had to have been under thirty with how freezing it was. At least the frigid water was doing what he wanted it to. The spike in arousal dampened and his raging hard-on relaxed. Kiba washed up quickly, his limbs starting to go numb.The dog ninja found it hard to get out. He dreaded the breeze hitting him like a whip.

Akamaru observed from the bank. "Looks like it's cold."

"W-hat gave you t-the first clue?" Kiba stuttered, jumping out and skin burning like he was on fire.

Dropping his stance so he was on all fours, Kiba shook like a canine, spraying Akamaru with droplets from his body. The hound skittered away, growling at his master's smug grin. Once he was dry, half Kiba's body was numb so he quickly threw his clothes back on; hurrying back to the campsite to penetrate his frozen muscles with the warmth of the fire. Upon arriving, he saw that the fish had already been passed out. The one left was large and once he reached the still blazing fire, he put his numb fingers close to the flame until his fingers moved without difficulty. He could feel Sakura's gaze on his back, but he ignored it to eat. Hell, wasn't she ignoring him earlier? He wanted to see her response. Most girls when they were trying to pretend someone wasn't there and that person didn't respond to it, it upset them. That didn’t make much sense to Kiba.

As he ate his fish, giving Akamaru bites in between his, he continued not to say anything to Sakura and conversed with Naruto and Sai instead.

"Who's the person we've got to find?" he asked, after swallowing the satisfying, but season-less meal.

Sai was wearing his ANBU cloak, dark hood covering his head to keep himself warm as he ate. "Hoshiko Miyagi," he answered. "The wife of the murdered leader."

"I bet she was the one who killed him," Kiba joked, earning a chuckle from Naruto.

"That's not funny."

All three males turned to gaze at their female partner who wore a frown on her face. "Why would she want to kill her husband?"

Kiba frowned. "I was only kidding Sakura. You're too uptight."

Said female ninja blinked as she watched Kiba continue eating and talking as if she hadn't even said anything. That fucking jerk! He must have wanted her to break  _all_  the bones in his body for talking to her like that.  _No one_  ever did for fear of her wrath, but this guy was clueless or a masochist.

Her temper fuming, the pink-haired woman stood up and hauled Kiba up by his jacket. "You want to say that again?!"

Kiba only gave her a sly smirk. "You're too uptight."

That was it. Sakura would break his face for the second time today. Kiba was on a role if he wanted facial reconstruction surgery with the way he was acting. He was so cocky, and the irritated female would love to beat it out of him.

"Sakura, we can't afford more meaningless injuries," Sai intervened when he saw her raise a chakra infused fist.

She growled at those words. Damn Sai for always being right about mission necessities. She would exert her chakra because  _she_  would be the one who would have to fix him up after beating the daylights out of him.

Sakura pushed Kiba away from her. "That's fine. I'll kick your ass some other time."

Kiba smirked at her again. "You're the only girl I like beating me up."

 The satisfied male watched as she got into her sleeping bag in a huff, muttering the word "asshole" under her breath. The pink that dusted her cheeks didn't go unnoticed by him.

Akamaru whined. "You will never get her if you keep making her angry."

Kiba didn't agree with that. He was only teasing. Perhaps he should just apologize even though Sakura would brush it off because she was still mad. Maybe he should wait until she had calmed down before saying anything to her.

Naruto's deep blue orbs watched his best friend get settled for the night before whirling to face Kiba. "Would you quit being such a jerk to her? I thought you liked her!"

The Inuzuka shushed the loudmouth. "I do like her, but I'm not going to just bend over and take it up the ass when she gets pissed at me. I get pissed too! am I supposed to back down?!"

"That is a wise decision," the pale ninja murmured. "Sakura always goes for the win even if it isn't a competition."

Kiba thought about that for a moment. He was the same way. Whether it was a fight or who stood on their hands the longest, Kiba always wanted to win. That sensation lowered since he was a child and had his butt kicked many times, but that didn't stop him from doing his best. If Sakura wanted to challenge him, fine. It didn't change his mindset. The male groaned as his body responded to the not-so-innocent images flowing through his mind. It would be more fun to dominate a strong woman in bed. His previous interests had been submissive, begging for him to take them. Soon, another hour passed, and they laid down to rest. Kiba's sleeping bag was on her right side and when he got situated, he watched with amusement as she turned away.

"Sakura?" he called, not expecting her to answer; she didn't. "I'm sorry for earlier today. I know I can be a jerk sometimes and I'm sorry for calling you a bitch."

Kiba gazed at the long pink hair that was almost a lilac color from the lack of light. Before his brain could reason that this was a bad idea, Kiba's hand reached out to finger the soft tresses, enjoying the silky texture brushing over his knuckles.

"I like that you grew your hair long Sakura," he murmured. "You're even more beautiful with it like this."

She still didn't respond. Perhaps it was a good thing she hadn't smashed his face in yet; he rather liked his face the way it was. Kiba inhaled a scent like wild berries and his body tried to react to it. He forced it down as best he could, releasing her hair before he lost control and turned away from her.

Sakura felt his chakra spike again. The first time was during his bath. It was the same thing as when they walked together to the bridge and he kept spacing out. Was the hormonal change that drastic during the Inuzuka mating season? That must suck, and Sakura had to commend his ability to hold himself back.

Her mind drifted to the moment he had touched her hair and how her heart had sped up when she felt the shift in her locks. It made little sense for her to jump out of her skin by that small action. What confused her the most was that she allowed him to touch it. Sakura let only Ino touch her hair, and that was only when she was washing it for her. When Naruto tried one time a few months ago, she bit his head off about it. Something like she didn't want his filthy hands in her beautiful locks. Well, Kiba fed his dog part of his meal and didn't mind Akamaru licking his hand, but she didn't stop him. Then there was Kiba’s apology. He was too bullheaded for apologies. She wasn't even sure if she would forgive him but staying mad at him wouldn't solve anything. He was too cute to stay angry with. Sakura told herself she would get a good look at Kiba and when she did, the kunoichi couldn't understand why she hadn't noticed his features earlier. Shaggy brown hair, bronzed muscular form, a smirk that got to her. Sakura rather liked his fangs.

Then there were his clawed nails. If she went out with him, was this considered bestiality? Kiba could turn into a canine when combined with Akamaru... Sakura shook that thought away. Kiba was human but had animalistic tendencies. Sakura sensed that Kiba had already faded off to sleep, Akamaru curled at his side, the big dog's head resting on Kiba's hip. She needed to rest too. Sakura tried to tune out Naruto's loud snoring as she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Sai was the first to wake up right as the sun rose. The squad leader untangled himself from the warmth of his sleeping bag, the ANBU operative stretched before leaning down to roll up his sleeping bag. He moved to Naruto and Sakura's side, he called their names and gave them each a shake on the shoulder.

"Time to get up," he said. "We need to get going."

Sai went to the river to wash his face. Sakura groaned, fighting the urge to turn over and go back to sleep. Sakura got out of her sleeping bag and rolled it up, stuffing it in her pack. It was still freezing, but as the young woman bustled around, she felt her body warming up.

 "Naruto! Get up and get ready to go."

"Five more minutes Sakura-chan," he mumbled, burying himself deeper in his sleeping bag.

Sakura shook her head at the blonde, bending down to run a hand through his spiky locks. He sighed and continued to sleep. He hadn't changed since they were kids. It had always been hard to get him up on missions unless he woke up on his own. Sakura pulled out a small kettle from her pack and moved over to the fire to get it started again. Sakura grabbed her canteen for water, afterward following Sai to the river's edge. The stoic ninja was also filling his canteen and turned to look at her.

"Are Kiba and Naruto up?" he questioned, standing to his feet and capping the canteen.

"Nope." Sakura filled both the kettle and her canteen with water. She placed them next to her and splashed cold water on her face, the icy liquid helping to wake her up. "You already know how Naruto is."

Sai nodded in agreement. "Let's get them up. We don't have time to waste."

The two teammates moved back to their campsite, finding that neither ninja had stirred. It was a little odd that Kiba wasn't up. Usually, after someone got up, their movements woke him. Akamaru was awake and... whimpering. The dog trotted over to her and licked her hand, continuing with his whining as he looked from her to Kiba.

"What's the matter Akamaru?" Sakura questioned as she placed the teapot over the flame, hooking it on a makeshift holder made of branches to keep it over the fire.

Sakura followed the dog to Kiba's side. She could see him shivering before she got to him. That wasn't strange with how cold it was, but when she bent down, it was obvious something wasn't right. Ignoring the yelp from Naruto when Sai poured some of his water on his face, Sakura's expression turned serious as she placed a hand to his forehead. There was a line of sweat already there, but he still shuddered hard. His skin was hot to the touch. She realized that what she said last night happened: Kiba had gotten sick.

 


	4. IV

The first step would be to bring down Kiba's fever and most likely he would need treatment. What a setback! She had  _warned_ him his actions may cause sickness, but the stubborn ninja didn't listen. His light red tinted cheeks clashed with the markings on his face and he was sweating despite the frigid atmosphere.

The medic turned to glance at Sai who was standing near them. "We have to get him to their medical center right now."

"He is a liability," Sai responded. "I would leave him, but that isn't the correct response." The captain looked over at the blonde who was downing his ramen like he would die if he didn't finish. "Snuff out the fire Naruto. We have to move."

"What's wrong with Kiba?" he asked through a mouthful of ramen.

Sakura growled at him before saying, "Don't talk with your mouthful you pig!"

Naruto finished chewing the massive amount of food he stuffed in his mouth. The shinobi moved over to his best friend's side.

"He's sick from the dip in the lake last night. I  _told_ him it was a bad idea." Sakura added emphasis on "told" with a sharp look at the sickly male.

Her eyes softened when she saw how erratic his breathing was. The frigid weather wasn't helping his condition. Akamaru lay at his master's side, his head over his paws. Little whimpers came from the canine and Sakura could see how deep their bond was. The same thing happened when Akamaru faced euthanization because of a toxin that was turning him rabid. Kiba did everything possible to save him, even taking a severe attack to inject him with the antidote. Their dedication to one another touched her heart.

After bringing down his fever, the kunoichi turned to the dog. "Can you carry Kiba to the village?"

The animal got to his feet and barked his answer. Sakura also stood and pulled the sick male from his sleeping bag, keeping him wrapped in the blanket around his body. Once she secured him on Akamaru's back, Sakura assisted her other teammates in cleaning up their campsite.

Sai pointed out which direction they should go before saying, "If we move fast, we can be there by this afternoon. We will stop whenever Sakura runs out of water to give him. He has to keep his fluids up."

Sakura nodded in agreement and mounted Akamaru, positioning Kiba so he was leaning back against her. "Can I hold on to your fur Akamaru?"

The dog barked, nodding his head once when he did so. The female hooked her arms underneath Kiba's, taking hold of the dog's soft fur. They moved, and Sakura had to keep herself from giggling at the exhilaration she felt. It was clear why Kiba always rode on his dog's back: it was so much fun. The wind was whipping her hair around her face and biting her cheeks, causing a pink tint to grace her features. A smile appeared on her face with each movement of the animal underneath her.

"I love this," Sakura said to no one in particular; she looked at her surroundings seeing how fast they were moving.

The medic checked Kiba again by placing her hand over his forehead. He was warming up already, so she used her chakra to cool his heated body. For a moment, she watched him breathe. He was handsome, but he was still a jack ass. Sometimes she wanted to strangle the life out of him, like yesterday when Kiba refused to listen to her advice. It surprised her he had the bravery to stand up to her. People knew about her temper and strength, therefore, tried to keep on her good side... except Ino. That girl knew how to irritate her in the most beautiful ways.

Kiba groaned in his sleep, turning his head to rest against her chest in a more comfortable position. Sakura's face flushed at the intimate contact. Sakura had already been a little nervous when she realized that Kiba would have to lean against her to make sure he stayed on Akamaru's back. Although it was cold out, Sakura's body heated. It wasn't like when you're close to someone and their body heat warmed you up. This was a sexual warming. Why the hell was she getting... turned on by his closeness? Sakura couldn't stop the blush from deepening in her cheeks as her hormones increased the tingling between her thighs. What the hell was going on? Akamaru turned to glance at them for a moment before returning his gaze to the forest in front of him. He couldn't wait to tell Kiba when he woke up.

It took a few hours to get to their destination, but once there, the client Hisa Yoshida met with them. She brought them to a large room where Kiba received treatment from one of the medical staff. Naruto, Sai, and Sakura sat down to lunch with the wife of the deceased Lord.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Sai questioned after putting down his cup of tea.

The woman laced her fingers in her lap, dark brown eyes locked on the table. "It all started a few weeks ago when we received this letter." Hisa pulled a piece of paper from her kimono and handed it to Sai who scanned its contents.

"A death threat," he murmured.

"Do you have any idea who would want to kill your husband?" Sakura questioned, studying the woman's behavior while she explained her story.

Hisa gripped the back of her neck and looked away, tears shining in her eyes. "I believe councilman Hisoka had something to do with it. He hated my husband and the way he ran the village. Almost everything my husband brought up for the council to help decide on, Hisoka rejected it. He often said he would make a better leader than my husband."

"I suppose your husband's name is Katsuo?" Sai questioned, laying the paper on the table and turning his attention back to the woman in front of him.

"Yes," she answered. "His name was Katsuo Yoshida. His people loved him... I loved him. I couldn't believe it when I found out he died. Hisoka's smile was unmistakable. I'm sure he is responsible for this. Because Katsuo and I don't have an heir yet, Hisoka might be next in line."

Naruto glared. "Why don't you become the next leader of your village? You were the Lord's wife!"

Hisa ran a pale hand through her short brown hair. "I can't. I don't have what it takes to be a leader."

"Wait a minute," Sakura interrupted. "You said you didn't have a child  _yet_. Are you pregnant?"

A smile graced their client's face at those words. "Two months."

Sakura gave her congratulations, but on the inside, her mind was turning. Being a medical ninja meant that Sakura had excellent use of chakra. When a woman became pregnant, ninja or not, a different chakra was detectable by the first month. She only sensed Hisa's chakra. The pink-haired female was already having her doubts. They grew more as Hisa continued to explain what was going on. The murder took place last week. They found Lord Katsuo dead in his room. His throat was slit and there were signs of a struggle. Katsuo was a strong ninja, so it had to be another shinobi. What Sakura didn't understand was how no one had come to his rescue. Ninjas didn't fight quietly or keep their surroundings intact when they fought and after questioning Hisa on her husband's abilities, he had fire-based chakra.

"We would like to see the room where your husband died," Sai said, getting to his feet.

Sakura and Naruto followed suit. Sakura's beryl eyes turned to Kiba. From his chakra, it was calming down from the spiky sensation it had when he was sick. It seemed like he was already better. Although she told him not to go into the river, the kunoichi didn't like to see him sick. He looked so helpless and Akamaru wasn't happy either. He was lying next to his master, head resting on his stomach. It had to be the sweetest show of affection between animal and human.

"Sakura?"

Her gaze tore from the sick shinobi and turned to the one who called her name. "Yes, ma'am?"

Hisa gave her a knowing smile, a strange twinkling in her oceanic irises. "Does he mean a lot to you?"

Sakura tried to stutter her complete and utter refusal to acknowledge caring for a jerk like Kiba, but the older woman held up a hand to silence her. "I couldn't stand Katsuo the first time I met him twelve years ago when we were sixteen. There was no way I wanted to marry such an egotistical, annoying guy like him, but I fell in love, anyway."

Something about that sentence struck a chord in Sakura's heart. When she was honest with herself, although she often claimed she would rather be single, Sakura wanted someone to share happiness with. Sure, she was young and had the rest of her life to worry about someone special, but deep-down Sakura wanted the fairy tale ending. She thought Sasuke was her prince. She hoped he could see her as more than a burden. That didn't happen, and it left her broken once he disappeared again.

"Come, I'll show you the room," Hisa said, turning away from the three Leaf Ninjas.

Sakura moved over to Kiba, bending down to place her palm against his forehead. "Just let me check his temperature before we go."

It wasn't as warm as it had been that morning. Akamaru licked the hand by her side. Sakura returned the affection by scratching behind the big dog's ears. He panted in response; Akamaru was thanking her for helping his owner.

_How the hell would I know a dog's thoughts?_ Sakura asked herself while getting to her feet, giving Akamaru one last pat before following their client and her other teammates.

* * *

 

Kiba groaned after opening heavy lids. He felt like shit; Sakura had been right; he ended up getting a little under the weather.

"You're awake."

The shinobi turned to his dog who was sitting next to him. "How long have I been out?"

"The entire trip here and it's been about an hour since we've arrived."

Damn it, that meant that his comrades had to start their mission without him. The whole reason they put Kiba on this assignment was because of his tracker abilities. His and Akamaru's skills could be of great use to their client and his teammates. Kiba got off the futon on the floor and jumped to his feet. He swayed with dizziness. The next thing he knew, his vision darkened and when it cleared, he was on the floor.

"What the hell just happened?"

Akamaru trotted over and whined while licking his master's cheek. "You're in no condition to go anywhere right now Kiba. Lie back down and rest."

"But I'm not..."

He wasn't even able to finish his sentence before fatigue weighed on his shoulders. Instead of trying to deny it further, Kiba slipped back into the warm blanket of his futon while Akamaru nudged a cup of water to him.

"Drink that first."

"I thought I'm supposed to give the commands," Kiba murmured, picking up the cup and taking a sip of the cool liquid.

He had to admit, it felt good sliding over his parched throat. The Inuzuka hoped that it was dry and not getting sore. There was nothing more annoying than having a sore throat. After finishing his drink, Kiba felt his eyelids drooping, and he promised himself he would still get up and help his teammates despite his health.

"Oh wait, I want to tell you something."

Kiba groaned. "Would you make up your mind?"

Akamaru growled at him, baring his sharp fangs. "I could not tell you"

Kiba sighed and answered by saying, "What's on your mind?"

That seemed to please the big canine because he panted and wagged his tail. "It's about Sakura."

That caught the sick male's attention. Anything about Sakura was worth listening to. Although they fought the entire time, they were around each other last night, he already missed her presence. Her adorable irritated demeanor made him smile, but he preferred her happy. Kiba just liked looking at her; that was all there was to it.

"On the way, Sakura's body prepared itself for mating while she was holding you on my back."

Kiba grinned. It seemed like Sakura's body was responding to his and if that was the case, Sakura was his mate. Sure, Kiba got women aroused without a problem, but when it happened just because she was near him, it was different. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have such a pretty girl. She was what he was looking for: smart, pretty, and strong. Sure, their personalities clashed because they were so similar, but that was okay. Perhaps if he spent more time close to her, Sakura's body would continue to react to his until she gave in. If they had sex, Kiba could mark her and they would tie as one.

"That's good," Kiba murmured, reaching out a hand to scratch on the side of his animal's neck right where he liked it. "Sakura will be mine."

* * *

 

Later on that night, the Konoha ninjas ate and got ready for bed; or at least that's what everyone else in the Lord's house believed after Sakura put them all in genjutsu. They couldn't risk someone overhearing their conversation and after returning to the room that Kiba was in, the ninjas sat down to talk.

"This woman knows something," Sai started, crossing his legs and propping his elbow up on his knee. "She hid it well, but from the way she spoke about Hisoka, she's trying to pin the entire thing on him. We cannot rule him out because he is a primary suspect, but so is Hisa."

"Yeah," Naruto answered. "There's just something about her. Who can smile and seem so happy like that after her husband just got murdered? Besides the little tears she cried when we first met her and when we went to search the room, she didn't seem that upset about it."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Then she lied about being pregnant. What good would that do her?"

The team leader placed his hand against his mouth. "None I can think of. Perhaps she has lied to the council about being with child, but that shouldn't matter as they have medical ninja would prove that she wasn't."

"So, she made it up?" Naruto scratched a hand through his yellow spikes, gaze switching between Sakura and Sai.

"I guess so," Sakura answered. "The room got doused in water. Whoever killed him has water-based techniques. Who has those abilities?"

"First, we have to search the crime scene with Kiba and Akamaru's assistance. We will return tomorrow."

Naruto and Sakura nodded in understanding and the next topic was how no one was around when someone Katsuo murdered. Sakura gave her comrades a serious look through the dim lighting. "Where was everyone when he got killed?"

"That was something I was wondering about," Naruto commented. "This was a Lord; there should be servants around."

"That's true." Sai's dark brows knitted in thought. "If no one was around when it happened, that leads me to think someone planned it out. We should question the servants."

Sakura nodded. "I can do an autopsy on it to find any other elements that lead to his death."

The artist stretched his arms above his head. "That's wise. We should sleep now. Tomorrow will be busy."

The ninjas laid out their futons and bunkered down for the night. The kunoichi released genjutsu before laying her futon next to Kiba, but not too close. Sakura tried to convince herself that it was only to make sure she could watch over him, but then again, she had denied a lot of things. One thing was for certain: Kiba was annoying as hell. He was worse than Naruto because her best friend backed down when she got angry; Kiba did not. Sakura liked to have full control, but the shinobi was a free spirit.

"You're so irritating," the woman mumbled as she checked his temperature once more.

His fever had broken. It seemed he was one to heal fast; that was useful. Kiba would be up by tomorrow. Now she had to check how the rest of his body was doing to make sure nothing else was wrong. The medic learned a fever was not always a cold symptom. Sakura moved to Kiba's side, stopping to give Akamaru a good belly rub before turning to Kiba. After making sure the Inuzuka was still asleep, she pulled back his blanket and placed her palms on Kiba's chest and stomach. Her chakra glowed around her hands and the kunoichi searched Kiba's body; so far, so good.

"I'm irritating, huh?"

She froze and peered at Kiba's face, seeing he was wide awake and smirking at her. "How long have you been awake?"

"A while." The male locked his arms behind the back of his head.

Sakura frowned at him. "You pretended to be asleep?"

Kiba shook his head. "I woke up when I smelled you."

A funny expression came over the female shinobi's face. "Are you saying I stink? I took a bath!"

He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "No, that's not it. It's your natural scent."

Sakura pondered that for a moment. Kiba had a good sense of smell so it wasn't surprising he could pick up on something like that. It piqued her curiosity; what aroma did she give off?

She asked and Kiba responded by saying, "Your scent like wild berries. It's not fruity, but just enough. It's combined with a cool, fresh fragrance, like how the air is in winter."

_That's nice,_ Sakura thought, a smile gracing her features.  _Never knew I gave off a frozen berries aroma._

"Y

You're doing something with your chakra?" Kiba asked. "I feel great, there's nothing wrong."

"We have to make sure," Sakura answered. "I'm checking for any infections."

"Well," the male started. "Wouldn't it be easier if your hands touched me?"

Sakura felt her cheeks heat. "Well, I-"

Kiba didn't allow her to finish, but instead placed his hands over hers and pressed her palms against his chest. The start of her arousal invaded his nostrils, and he heard her pounding heartbeat. Would it be too soon to move forward?

"Your chakra feels nice," Kiba commented, keeping his hands over hers.

He grasped her wrists and to his surprise, she didn't pull away. Her scent set his senses into overload. His body was responding to Sakura's, but this time it was different. Usually, it was just an extreme urge to have sex. He wanted to do more, but now just holding her was part of his desires. Kiba longed to run his clawed fingers through her coral hair and just bask in her presence.

Sitting up, the dark-haired male reached for Sakura's pink tresses. She watched his hand and her features darkened. "What are you doing?"

"I want to see you with your hair down," Kiba whispered. "Relax."

He could still sense she was hesitating, so the Inu ninja pulled her hair from its ponytails with the utmost care. Kiba couldn't help but let his fingers glide through her silky hair. After a few moments, she relaxed.

"You know," he started. "I like you a lot Sakura hence the drinking contest for a date." Even though the room was dark, he saw her blush.

She gave him a pointed look. "How do I know you aren't using me?"

What brought up that question? Well, she was friends with Ino and there was no doubt she knew about his sexual activities due to the loudmouth blonde. She was in everyone's business, which meant Sakura already knew the truth, but the bond he wanted with Sakura was more than the faceless women he slept with.

"How can I show you?" he questioned, fingers brushing along her shoulder as he continued to tease her hair.

Sakura's look turned thoughtful. "I don't know but prove yourself."

"I can do that," he answered with a smirk.

"Whatever," Sakura scoffed with a smile sneaking on her features.

They were silent for a moment. Kiba inched forward, their eyes locked. Her lips were right there taunting him, and he was dying to kiss them. Kiba moved a hand to grip her chin and planted his mouth against hers.


	5. V

The Leaf ninjas walked towards the room that someone murdered Lord Katsuo in. Sakura left to speak with the servants while Kiba, Naruto, and Sai searched the room. With the help of Kiba and his dog, finding evidence would be easier. The Inu ninja rubbed the back of his neck while they walked down the hall, frowning the entire way. His kiss with Sakura didn't turn out the way he would have liked. At first, everything was going so well. In fact, Sakura had kissed him back so that meant she didn't hate him... too much. Kiba had moved too fast after she threw him into a wall. Was touching her ass that bad? It was only a little squeeze and Kiba couldn't help himself; it was something he always did when he kissed a girl. At least he knew not to try that again soon.

That pink-haired woman was ignoring him now, an aura of annoyance following her wherever she went. Beryl irises glared daggers at him and the shinobi didn't know how to fix his mistake. Whatever he did would have to wait until Sakura calmed down. Kiba wouldn't get anywhere if he tried to speak with her now. He wasn't great with words and didn't want his temper to get him in more trouble with her than he already was. Kiba grit his teeth in annoyance. Sakura was being such a pest! Why wouldn't she give in already?! He would get what he wanted, and she would become his mate  _willingly._  Kiba saw this as another challenge. He could be just as stubborn.

"This is it," Sai spoke, opening the door to a closed room.

Akamaru sniffed around the entrance. The crisp scent of water reached his nose; however, this wasn't regular water. He could pick up traces of chakra because of his enhanced senses.

The large animal turned his head towards his owner and barked. "The water has washed away any scents. I smell nothing other than a faint hint of blood."

"Follow that scent then," the brunette answered.

"What is it?" Naruto turned confused blue orbs over to the tracker ninja.

Kiba placed his hands on his hips, gazed scrutinizing his surroundings. He moved into the room, sniffing around and agreed that the blood scent was faint, almost non-detectable. Akamaru's powerful nose could find a trail if there was one. Since they found Lord Katsuo's body in the room, it was likely his blood. If so, that wouldn't help them move any closer to solving this crime.

His companion continued sniffing around for before coming to his feet and whining. The scent was only in the room; they were back to square one. Maybe Sakura could learn why no one heard the battle.

"I would go to speak with Hisoka, but our client has requested that no one know why we're here." Sai crossed his arms over his chest. "I had Sakura pose as a new servant and pry for information so we must see what she's able to dig up."

The men nodded and exited. Things weren't adding up. So far, all they knew was another ninja killed Lord Katsuo, that person had water-based jutsus, and there were two suspects so far.

"Wait, a second." Kiba paused; Naruto and Sai stopped to look back at him. "If a kunai killed Katsuo, why was he attacked with water jutsus? I mean, if it was me, I would just drown him instead of bothering to kill him with a kunai. It doesn't make sense."

The blonde scratched his head. "Yeah, I was thinking about that, but what does it mean?"

They looked at Sai, who had placed a gloved hand to his mouth. "This may be a framing job."

"But who would do that?" Kiba questioned.

"We've got to find out."

Sakura helped a servant named Miko wash the dishes. This girl was such an odd one; she giggled at anything Sakura said even if it wasn't funny. That trait was annoying, and the kunoichi wanted to knock sense into her, but refrained. She had a mission to complete. This girl gave information to Sakura without a fight.

The Konoha shinobi gave Miko a bright smile and asked, "How long have you been working here?"

The sixteen-year-old with the long orange braid giggled, the sound grating Sakura's nerves. "Almost a year now. I had to work to support my family after my parents died."

"That's terrible," Sakura whispered. Although she gave her condolences, the older female would not let the perfect opportunity to ask questions pass by. "We've had too many deaths in the last few months. I still can't believe someone killed Lord Katsuo. It happened before I worked here though."

Sakura motioned for Miko to come closer and she leaned forward, eyes shining with curiosity.

"I heard his wife is the one who killed him," she whispered. "I heard she had him murdered, but what I don't get is how no one came to help him that night."

Miko hooked a strand of tangerine-colored hair behind her ear; her sky-blue orbs darted around before she said, "I don't know, but everyone got told to go to the festival that fell on that day. Lord Katsuo wasn't feeling well, so he opted to stay home and wouldn't allow anyone to tend to him. When we came back, he was dead."

"Who sent everyone to the festival? Were you guys gone a long time?"

The other girl nodded, a soft giggle escaping her lips. "Lady Hisa informed us we were off for the night to go to the festival. Everyone went. The servants, chefs, the gardeners, everybody. We saw her once at the festival, but she didn't have her personal servants with her and I got told later on that she left."

Now it made sense why no one heard the battle. Everything was pointing towards Hisa, but Sakura knew better than to make assumptions. This still could turn onto someone else. Sakura was ready for this mission to finish because _someone_  annoyed her. The female shinobi's teeth ground together in irritation. That pervert Kiba! He had the nerve to touch her like that after first saying he liked her? What a  _jerk_! That bastard was thinking with his second head. Sakura expected it, but that didn't stop her from having a little light of hope.

A blush formed over her cheeks at the remembrance of their kiss. Kiba's lips were soft and the feel of his canines moving over her tongue had sent shock waves of excitement through her body. At first, Sakura felt like an amateur because she hadn't French kissed before. In fact, she found it a little gross being a medic and knowing how much bacteria was in the human mouth. Still, it would have made it more obvious that she was inexperienced if she pulled away blushing and Kiba would have teased her about it.

"Hey Choko," Miko called, waving her hand in front of Sakura's face; she chuckled before saying, "What are ya spacing out about?"

"Oh, nothing important."

Miko's blue eyes gazed at Sakura for a moment. A smile graced her bronze features, and she laughed again, pointing an accusing finger at the woman next to her. "It was a boy, wasn't it! Your cheeks are so red you couldn't have written it on your face to make it more obvious!"

Sakura's face darkened more, and she turned away, scrubbing hard at the plate in her hand with the drying cloth. "No, it doesn't."

"Whatever you say Choko." Miko's eyes sparkled with amusement at her new friend's actions. It _was_  a guy; there was no mistaking that, but she decided not to push the subject any further although it would be fun to see how dark her face would glow with embarrassment.

Sakura hooked a few strands of pink hair behind her ear after putting the dry plate away. Was it _that_ obvious that she was having guy troubles? Well, it made sense; the kunoichi always had a hard time hiding her emotions with romance. That wasn't important right now; she had to find her teammates. The Leaf ninja excused herself from their duties and disappeared around the corner before Miko could ask where she was going. She'd check the guest room first for her comrades. Sakura hoped Kiba and Akamaru found something.

"Kiba is such a freaking idiot," she muttered while hustling toward their quarters. 

Her anger mounted again at that mutt's audacity. He had the  _nerve_  to try inappropriate things on her? Well, Sakura would not accept that. You didn't do that kind of stuff unless you were in love or at least dating. Sakura stopped in front of the door, her heart beating faster. She could tell that all of her comrades were there, including that molester Kiba.

_Stop it_ , Sakura thought with annoyance.  _I will not let him get the best of me._

The young woman pushed the door open. Naruto sat cross-legged on the wood floor. He gazed up at her and smiled. "Did you find out anything Sakura?"

"Yeah, I did." The female sat down next to her best friend while Sai put away his paints and Kiba stood across from them, arms folded over his chest. Sakura did her best to ignore him, but Akamaru was a different story. The canine bounded towards her and rubbed his head against her cheek before licking her. A giggle escaped her throat. "Wait Akamaru, I have to tell them what I found out."

The white dog licked her hand and lay next to her, placing his large head in her lap. Sakura stroked his soft fur and explained what she and Miko had talked about. The expression on Sai's pale face was one of concentration. It looked like something she had said caught his attention.

His opaque gaze looking over his team, Sai said, "Everything is pointing towards our client, but something still doesn't seem right. Lady Hisa told everyone to leave for the festival which makes her seem like the one who had killed him; however, Hisa's chakra does not have the feel of one who is a ninja. It's too weak. How would she kill her husband with no jutsu?"

"That's easy," Kiba scoffed. "What if she had someone  _else_ tire him out enough so she could deliver the final blow?"

Sakura nodded. "That makes sense, but who?"

"Arghh!" Naruto whined. "This is so confusing!"

"We've hit a wall so far," Sai responded, ignoring Naruto's outburst. "Let's find Hisa. Perhaps we can convince her to let us speak with Hisako. If she thinks he's the one who killed her husband, he would be the next best option to speak to and gather information on."

The four ninja and dog exited the room to find Hisa. Akamaru followed her scent, leading them outdoors. Sakura still tried to pretend that Kiba wasn't there, but it was hard when he kept staring at her. She knew he did it so she would say something to him. Well, she would not give in easily.

"How long do you plan on ignoring me?" the Inuzuka questioned, locking his hands behind the back of his head. "I said I was sorry."

Angry viridian eyes turned to glare at Kiba. " _You think 'sorry' will get you off the hook for what you did?"_

Naruto gazed back at them; his expression turned hard. "Did what?"

"I don't think it's any of your business!" Kiba snapped.

Naruto growled, raising a fist at the other male. "I'm tired of you saying that! Say it again and I'll kick your ass!"

"Oh yeah? I-"

The brunette paused when Akamaru barked. He was next to his dog's side in seconds. Akamaru growled. "You smell that?"

"Yeah," Kiba responded. "That's the same scent of blood. It's nearby."

The two bounded off into the woods with Naruto, Sakura, and Sai hot on their trail. They jumped over fallen logs and plowed through bushes to keep up with owner and pet. Soon the sound of rushing water reached their ears, and the woods opened into a clearing. A man was sitting at the edge of the water, his back to them. Long grey hair cascaded down his back in waves, the light from the sun making it look silver. He turned to them and to their surprise, he was a young-looking man despite his grey hair. Tree green eyes regarded them, not surprised at their abrupt appearance.

 He stood to his feet, smiled, and asked, "You four are not from here are you?"

"Who the hell are you?" Kiba demanded, ignoring the man's question.

He laughed and continued gazing at them coolly. "I am Masashi Yoshida. Now, who are you? I can tell by your accent you are not Cloud villagers."

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed. Did he say his last name was Yoshida? That was Lady Hisa and Lord Katsuo's last name. Was he related to them? Sakura asked him and Masashi chuckled again.

"You seem set on not telling me who you are. I'm already aware that my sister-in-law has hired you to find out who killed my brother."

"Katsuo had a brother?! Hisa-san didn't say anything about you," Naruto exclaimed.

Masashi rubbed a hand along his arm and up into his purple kimono. A frown crossed his placid features. "She wouldn't. She never was fond of me."

"Forget all of that!" Kiba exclaimed. "Care to explain why I'm getting a whiff of blood from the room Katsuo got killed in?"

Akamaru growled while Masashi continued to keep his composure, dark green eyes sparkling with amusement. "Simple." He reached into his kimono and the ninja got ready for combat, causing the male to shake his head at them. He pulled out a kunai carved with extensive designs. "I discovered this in my brother's room. I was the one who found him dead."

Sakura studied the man in front of her, fists still raised for battle. Now they had another suspect and evidence to further their investigation. She wondered why he took it and Sai voiced the question. Masashi responded that the kunai had been a gift he gave his brother. He elaborated on how much Katsuo liked it and often used it during sparring practices. He wanted to keep it because of its connection to his brother.

"Wait a sec," Kiba interrupted. "Let me see that kunai. It might still have someone else's scent on it."

Masashi held out his hand and Akamaru moved forward to sniff it. After a few moments, the dog turned to his owner. "There is another faint scent."

Kiba relayed the message to his teammates and Akamaru led the way to the new scent.

"Just a moment."

The Leaf ninjas looked at the tall male still smiling at them. "It is clear who killed my brother. I would have no motive as I am an illegitimate child and no rights to my family's power. Bring them to justice."

Finally, the group of Konoha shinobi was on their way home that afternoon, justice being served. The other scent on the weapon belonged to Hisoka; he, however, was not the one who administered the killing blow. It had been Hisa. The two were working together to bring down her husband, but things backfired for Hisa when Hisoka refused to take her as his wife as he had promised when he became the lord. Hisa believed it would have been her word against his and decided she would pin the entire murder her new lover. It turned out a hired ninja tired out Lord Katsuo because neither Hisoka nor Hisa had ninja abilities. They couldn't trust any of the ninjas in their village to keep quiet about them wanting to kill the leader so they paid someone from another village to take care of what they needed.

The way Hisa confessed appeared humorous to Sakura. After speaking with Hisoka once they caught up with him, he denied playing a part in the murder and insisted that he believed Hisa had planned it. He even said he saw her writing the death threat. It turned into a blame game because the deceased Lord's wife claimed Hisoka was the one that wrote it. Sai had a hunch they were in it together and when they spoke to them together, Kiba lost his patience.

The shinobi turned to the timid-looking woman and yelled at her to stop lying. He told her that all the evidence pointed towards her and Hisoka so she might as well come clean and see if their village would opt not to kill her for what she did. Hisa cringed as Akamaru growled at her, baring his fangs. She broke under the pressure and confessed to everything, even about her being in love with Hisoka.

The council member tried to continue his bluff, but Sakura informed him from the way his chakra was fluctuating, she knew he was lying. It was a good thing Shizune taught her that little trick. She then told Hisa that she knew she wasn't pregnant, but the older woman insisted that she was. She listed the side effects of pregnancy she experienced and showed Sakura her expanding belly. Turned out Hisa had a condition called pseudocyesis or false pregnancy. A strong emotional conflict caused it when a woman had an extreme fear or desire to become pregnant. The body simulated pregnancy but lacked an actual fetus. It devastated Hisa when she found out because she thought it was Hisoka's child. Sakura was sure she was planning on using the child as leverage to get what she wanted.

While they moved through the chilly afternoon, Sakura was glad to be heading home. Being a ninja meant traveling from Konoha, but she didn't want to be in the vicinity as Kiba. The kunoichi was still angry with him for the stunt he tried to pull, but it wasn’t raging anymore, only smoldering a little. He was just so brash and downright rude. Sakura didn't expect him to ask her when she would stop ignoring him either. That had not only rekindled her anger, but it surprised her. Kiba didn't beat around the bush, a good trait to have in other situations. However, in this one, he grated on her nerves.

"Let's get water for the night," Sai called, taking off in a different direction. "Sunset is in four hours so let's continue traveling."

The others nodded and followed him. The rosette moved away from her male counterparts and sat down in front of the river. This was the same one they camped nearby, and she enjoyed the water here. It had a crisp, clean flavor, not something she could say about all the water she had to drink on missions. Sakura opened her canteen, drank the little water left then refilled it. Kiba watched the female's every move: the way her fingertips played with the surface of the water after filling her canteen and how she pulled her red jacket tighter around her body. She was beautiful to him no matter what she did and once again, he screwed it up.

"Complicated humans."

"Tell me about it," Kiba mumbled, making his way over to the woman he kept pissing off. He took a deep breath and moved beside her, kneeling down. "Hey."

Sakura glared at him, jade orbs smoldering with her annoyance. "Hey? You think-"

"I'm sorry," Kiba interrupted. "I didn't mean to take things too far for you. It won't happen again all right?"

She frowned at him while placing her canteen back in its holder. "You're great at pissing me off."

Kiba laughed in response, running a clawed hand through his messy brown hair. "Same goes for you. No woman stands up to me like you do, Sakura."

"Get used to it."

The two remained silent, enjoying the biting chill of the wind while Sakura gazed over at Sai and Naruto. It looked like they were talking about something and whatever it was, Sai had angered the blonde. Sakura chuckled at them.

"You know," Kiba started, sitting down and leaning back. "I like the way you kiss."

The woman blushed at his words and twisted her clothing. "Shut up."

The Inuzuka felt his blood boiling when he saw the blush creep over her cheeks. She was innocent; it was kind of cute, but exciting. He planned to be her first for everything. Kiba figured Sakura never made out with someone before. She was a little timid and clumsy at first, but she was a fast learner and Kiba couldn't wait to feel those lips against his again. When they got back, they had to hold up their ends of the bet.

 


	6. VI

Sakura inhaled the rich forestry smell she had missed so much. It was great to be back home. She and her team were leaving the Hokage's office to inform him of the success of the mission. It was a little humorous that the one who hired them was now being prosecuted by her village and had been the ones to line her pocket with money. The young woman stretched before wrapping her jacket tighter around her body. The weather was getting chillier as the days went by, something Sakura didn't like. She preferred warmer weather to frostbitten air.

She waved at Sai, Naruto, and Kiba before turning towards her home, intent on getting the supplies to take a warm bath.

"Hey, Sakura!"

She froze at the sound of his rough voice.  _Dammit, I thought I would get away._

Turning to face the one who called her, she irritably placed a hand on her hip and cocked her head. "What Kiba?"

The brunette jogged over to her, fanged smirk crossing his features. "I still get my date so go freshen up. I'll stop at your place in two hours. It should be around three by then."

Sakura sucked in her cheeks. They had connected down at the river and here he was already back to his annoying, soon to be asshole self. He was so damn cocky! Sure, his tanned complexion, defined muscles... dimpled smile... _shit._

"I will be ready when I'm ready," Sakura huffed as she turned away.

He grabbed her hand to stop her retreat. She whirled around to see the Inuzuka giving her the softest look and smile. He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it before placing it on his shoulder.

"Come on Sakura," Kiba murmured. "I want to spend more time with you."

The pink-haired woman felt a flash of heat move from the place on her hand he had kissed. Sakura knew she was blushing. The quicker she got this date over with, the better. Sakura would get payback by making him the most adorable pet dog ever.

She snatched her hand from his and walked away, trying to ignore that her body still felt like it was on fire. "You better not be late Kiba!"

Kiba smirked as he mounted Akamaru and they began the trip to their home. He held on to the large dog's fur and leaned down. "Did you sense it?"

"Yes, her body prepares itself for you when you're close to her."

Kiba licked his lips at the sound of that. If he could get inside Sakura once, she would beg for more and then he could make her his mate. Just thinking about it made his body flush with heat. Sakura was so sexy. Not only was she beautiful, but she was smart She was a powerful woman, too. A strong girl was the ultimate turn on.

"You better stop thinking about mating with her and figuring out how you will make her want to be with you."

Kiba frowned. "What ya mean Akamaru?"

Akamaru looked over his shoulder as they stopped in front of the Inuzuka compound. "Sakura will refuse advances to mate right now. She has to love you."

The young male paused for a second, realizing that his companion was right. There was no way he could make Sakura his mate first without her gaining true feelings for him.  Kiba never tried to romance a girl to form a bond. Even thinking about that made his frown deepen. Sakura wasn't just some girl; she would be the one he spent the rest of his life with.

"Am I ready for that?" he asked himself out loud while running his fingers through his unruly brown hair.

Kiba realized that he was rushing things. She was to be his mate from how Akamaru told her body responded to him during the mission, but if he wanted to be with Sakura for the rest of his life and not just have her for a one-night stand, he would have to put feelings into it. Even then, there was no telling if she would _develop_  real feelings for him. Kiba rubbed his hand over his face and headed towards his house with Akamaru trailing at his side.

"What is your plan, Kiba?"

He sighed and answered, "There's no way I can make her care for me in a week. I guess I'll just spend time with her and see where it goes."

Akamaru wagged his tail with happiness. "That's a good idea. You don't have to mate with her right now."

The large dog paused for a second and then made a mad dash towards the house. Kiba gave him a confused expression before taking off after him. "What's the matter?!"

"Tamako is having the puppies!"

Sakura entered her home and padded to her fireplace to warm up her place with a good old-fashioned fire. Once it was flickering with life, the frozen woman went to her bedroom to get her supplies for her bath. Slipping into a tub of warm water would hit the spot. The kunoichi kicked off her sandals, headed towards the bathroom, and flicked the light on. She gazed at herself in the mirror and frowned. Her hair was in shambles, something that always happened after missions and Sakura ran her fingers through her long locks. She would still have to wash her hair as well for this date so she would take a quick shower afterward.

"Kiba," Sakura muttered, a slight annoyance entering her voice when she said his name.

This man angered her, but he had a sweet side. He was handsome and funny. Still, how could they form a relationship when they argued ninety percent of the time? Sakura shook those thoughts away. It was like she was  _already_  thinking as if they would be a couple. No way. She was sticking to her ideal of not needing a boyfriend in her life. She was only doing this because it was part of the bet. This wasn't a real date to her; Sakura was just going through the motions. After placing her things on the counter, the twenty-one-year-old set her bath water and watched as it rose and steam billowed from its surface. Sakura moved to her sink and knelt to open the cabinets underneath it. She pulled out her favorite bubble soap and poured it in the water. Once it was high enough to submerge her without spilling over the edge, Sakura stripped off her clothes and stepped in before she could get too cold.

Sakura sighed, tied her long hair into a high bun, and slouched into the warm embrace of the water. At first, goosebumps rose on her arms from the change in temperature, but soon she felt comfortable. After a few minutes, Sakura's muscles relaxed as the heat penetrated her body. Once again, her mind wandered off to that brash man Kiba, her thoughts returning to the kiss they shared. Absently, her hand moved up to her lips to touch them. Her heart pounded just thinking of how close they had been. Sakura shook her head. She couldn't understand why Kiba's presence was having such an effect on her? That sensation she noticed while she was riding Akamaru on the way to meet Hisa was new to her, but Sakura was smart enough to realize that Kiba's closeness turned her on. Why  _was_ that?

Deciding to push those thoughts away and continue with her bath, Sakura sat up and cleaned up, loving grime washing away. Afterward, she let the water out of the bathtub and showered so she could wash her hair. While Sakura was getting dressed, her mind wondered what kind of date Kiba had planned for them. He might surprise her with something ridiculous, but who knew? Sakura hoped he would not try to wine and dine her. It didn't seem like something that would fit the Inuzuka male. She bet he wanted to do something exciting and different. Her mind churned after leaving the bathroom and returning to her room. She gazed in her closet, unsure of what to wear. She didn't even know what style to focus on. Sakura's heart sped up when she heard knocking. 

_That can't be him already. It's only been thirty minutes!_

"Hold on a second!" she called while throwing her dirty clothes in the hamper and trying to do a quick clean-up of her room.

She heard the door open, and a frown crossed her face. Was he _walking_ in her house like it was okay? That cocky bastard. Sakura had a good mind to let him have, and she rushed towards her front door.

"Just what the hell do you-?"

Sakura stopped when she saw Ino standing in front of her with a smirk on her face. She cocked her head, long blonde bangs switching to the other side of her face. "Were you expecting someone, hmm?"

Sakura blushed and turned back on her heels towards her room. "I've told you about just walking in my house, Pig."

"Then stop leaving your door unlocked, Forehead. You still didn't answer my question. Who's coming over?"

Sakura huffed with annoyance as she continued to stare at her closet. "None of your business."

Ino's smile grew wider as she leaned against the door frame. "Would it be Kiba by any chance?"

Sakura's blush deepened. She was so damn nosy! Couldn't she keep out of another person’s business for once?!

"Like I said, it's none of your business. Go invade someone else's life."

Ino chuckled and pushed herself off the wall. "I already know Kiba is into you so you might as well spill it because I'll find out, anyway. Naruto doesn't keep his mouth shut."

Sakura raised an eyebrow and glanced at her friend slash enemy. "What are you talking about?"

"So, it seems there are things you don't know either." Ino turned away and headed towards the kitchen with Sakura hot on her trail. "Want to trade info?"

Sakura growled. "I don't want everyone in my love life! Whoever I spend time with is my decision and doesn't include you or Naruto or anyone else!"

The blonde adjusted her jacket and grabbed the silver teakettle off the stove. She filled it with water. "You like Kiba too."

Sakura sighed and sat her table with Ino following suit. She wanted to talk to someone about him, but it would be awkward because Ino had been Kiba's object of lust last mating season. Ino said she was just using him for sex and he did the same but Sakura couldn't understand a concept like that. Didn't you become attached the person you shared your body with?

"I'm not sure about him," Sakura answered. "He kissed me while we were on the mission and-"

Ino squealed and clapped her hands together, dashing from the stove to pull up a chair next to Sakura. "He did! Did you like it?"

Sakura leaned forward, placed her elbows on the table, and propped her chin in her hands. Her emerald eyes took a far-off appearance as once again her mind replayed her kiss with Kiba. She enjoyed their kiss even if his hand wandered and pissed her off. Before that moment, she felt content.

"Yeah I did," she answered. "We're going on that date I owe him. Ino, He is in his rut again and I don't know if he is just trying to get in my pants or if he seriously likes me."

Ino moved back to the stove and when she returned, she had two mugs of hot chocolate. "The easiest way to figure it out is to not give it up during his rut week and see. If he still is trying to spend time with you, it might not just be your body he is interested in."

That made sense. Sakura was in no shape or form ready to lose her virginity, especially to someone who might not have feelings for her.  Keeping sex out of the picture would make things easier.

The medic sipped on her cocoa and gazed at her friend. "Sounds good. Want to help me get dressed?"

Ino flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and linked her fingers together. "I can't let you go on a date looking like crap so I'm dressing you."

Sakura huffed. 

_Stupid pig._

Sakura sat on her couch tapping her fingers irritably on her leg. She turned her head to gaze at the clock, her long coral hair that Ino had given a wavy appearance to sliding over her shoulder and tickling her thigh. It was forty-five minutes past the time Kiba told her to be ready and she was feeling stupid for getting dolled up just for him to not show up.

"That idiot won't get away with it," the angry woman said through gritted teeth, standing to her feet and leaving her home.

She had every intention of heading over to the Inuzuka compound and seeing just what was holding him up. Depending on what it was, she may not destroy him... as bad. Sakura pulled her red hoodie tighter around her figure and a chill traveled up her spine at the cool air. She began the trip to the Inuzuka compound, the nippy breeze biting at her cheeks until they flushed pink. Sakura was so ready to let Kiba have it. After a few minutes, she stopped in front of the house she knew belonged to Kiba’s family and walked to the front door. She knocked, and she heard shuffling before the door opened. There stood Kiba's mom, her hair looking as animalistic as ever.

"Hey, Sakura!" she said in her raspy, almost male-like voice as she locked the surprised girl in a bear hug. "How the hell are ya? What brings you by?"

"I was wondering if Kiba was around," Sakura wheezed, feeling like her ribs were about to poke holes in her lungs.

Tsume released her hold and opened the door wider. "Yeah, he's in here helping with Tamako. Come on in."

Tamako? Had he blown off their date? Sakura's temper rose again... until she heard whimpers and turned the corner. Turns out Tamako was a dog, and she was giving birth right that moment. There were already two little ones nestled at her side. Akamaru was lying next to her, licking her face. The big dog looked up and when he saw Sakura, his tail wagged and he barked. That was when Sakura noticed Kiba's sister Hana kneeled next to Tamako. She looked over her shoulder and waved.

"Hi Sakura," she greeted. "It's nice to see you."

"It's great to see you too," Sakura answered before moving to kneel next to the female dog. She rubbed her side affectionately and Tamako turned her head to lick Sakura's hand. "How many puppies is she expecting?"

"Nine."

Sakura turned when she heard his voice, her heart fluttering again. Kiba stood shirtless. He rubbed something in a blue towel in his hand. Sakura's green orbs raked over his sculpted body. She noticed the scars that lined his sides, making the male appear more dangerous and... _attractive._

His sharp eyes drank her in for a moment and once again her cheeks flare with heat. A streak of lightning coursed through her body and that dull aching sensation was returning between her legs. Sakura crossed them.

"So, um..." Hana said coughing a little at the awkward silence. "Did you want to help clean up the puppies as they come Sakura?"

"Can I?" the pink-haired woman asked, leaning forward to observe the new puppies. They made little squeaking noises that Sakura thought were the most adorable sounds ever.

Kiba kneeled down and opened the towel and there sat a third puppy. Sakura thought her heart had melted at the sight of the all-white pup. Kiba noticed her stare of adoration and moved behind her, reaching around to place the puppy in her lap.

"Rub them like this," he murmured, moving his hands over Sakura's and guiding her on how to clean up the newborn. "It dries them off and helps them breathe."

Sakura's eyes sparkled with wonder at the little pup. "Oh, wow..."

Kiba smirked as he watched her clean the puppy for a few more seconds before telling her to put it with Tamako. He watched her smile falter and noticed that she had moved the newborn closer to her.

"You can have that puppy once it's weaned." Kiba grinned at her as he spoke.

Sakura turned to him with happiness crossing her features. "Can I really?" He nodded, and she put the puppy with the mother. The medical Nin turned and leaned her head on Kiba's shoulder. "Thank you."

"No problem," Kiba answered, leaning his head against hers. "You look pretty as hell."

Sakura blushed and smiled. "Thanks."

"Here comes the next one," Hana said, breaking the two out of the world they lost themselves in. "Sakura as soon as the pup comes out, I'll remove the gestational sac and cut the cord and then you rub the pup like Kiba showed you."

Kiba handed Sakura a clean towel and watched as she readied herself for the birth of the next pup. Around eight at night, Tamako bore all the puppies, and they all nursed. Tamako was licking at them one by one and soon after went to sleep. Sakura's hair didn't look nice like it first had before. The room they were in stayed warm to keep the puppies from growing chill. She had resorted to pulling it up into a bun while she helped deliver the puppies. She never got to experience something so amazing. Sakura couldn't tear her eyes away from the adorable creatures, especially the little white one that would be hers.

Hana had left the room to dispose of all the items they used during the delivery. Kiba crossed his legs and looked at her. "Sorry I stood you up."

"It's okay," Sakura answered. "I know how much the dogs mean to you and your family."

"Thanks."

A comfortable silence overtook them. Sakura gazed at the man next to her once more. He had since put on a black shirt with the sleeves cut off, but he still looked as handsome as ever, even with the tresses of hair on his forehead wet with sweat. Sakura swallowed while she gazed at him. She understood that she may, in fact, have a crush on Kiba Inuzuka, but what were his true intentions? Tsume gazed at the two and smiled. Those two would become mates, no doubt about it. She smelled Sakura's arousal when she saw Kiba standing there and her boy had a thing for this female, too.

"Look at you two!" she said, slapping her knee. "Well, I'll be, Sakura I never guessed you would end up having a thing for Kiba!"

"I-I," Sakura stuttered, unsure of how to respond.

" _Ma_!" Kiba whined like an eight-year-old. "Stop it, you're embarrassing me!"

"What's there to be embarrassed about boy?" his mom questioned with a smile.

Kiba stood and held his hand out to Sakura. "Let's go."

She took it and within seconds he was dragging her out the door, grabbing his grey jacket on the way out. "Um, nice to see you Miss Tsume!"

Said woman watched them leave, a smile still working on her face. She hated to resort to embarrassing her son, but they needed to get out of here and spend time with each other. Another confirmation had been that puppy had chosen Sakura, and she chose it. She had her companion, just like any other Inuzuka.

Sakura and Kiba stopped once they were outside and Sakura wished that she had worn thicker pants. Her teeth clacked right away, and she wrapped her arms around her body.

"Want to go to the bridge?" Kiba asked.

Sakura glanced up at the taller male. "Sure, but where is Akamaru?"

"He will stay with Tamako and the puppies that way he can alert my sis or mom if something happens," the dog nin answered while giving her a fanged smirk. "Looks like you're stuck with me."

Sakura smiled and gave him a soft punch in the arm. "Shut up."

The young couple made their way through the woods towards the bridge. The large trees provided a darkened shelter around them, casting shadows in every direction. It gave their surroundings an eerie appearance, but it was comforting because it was home. The crickets chirped around them, causing Sakura to relax further.

Soon the bridge was looming in front of them, lamps lighting each side. Kiba took Sakura's hand and lead her towards the wooden bridge and they walked up its familiar side, stopping at the peak to glance over at the gentle water that glided over the dark rocks lining the bottom.

Sakura leaned against the railing and gazed up at the full moon that was casting its milky glow over the surroundings. Despite it being frigid outside, it was still a beautiful night.

"I figured out what I'm going to name her," she breathed, a smile breaking across her face at the thought of the newborn puppy.

"Her?" Kiba asked. "What makes you so sure it's a girl?"

"I just know," Sakura responded. "I think I'll call her Kiyomi."

"Pure beauty. Just like you."

Kiba made her blush like a schoolgirl. Still, there was something holding her back from giving in to his advances. Sakura turned around to face him.

"I think I may like you," she began, "but I need to know your intentions. I know you're in a rut right now and the last thing I want to be is just this girl whose pants you're trying to get into because of your sexual cravings. I can sense when you're aroused and-"

Kiba silenced Sakura by pressing his lips to hers. The first thing she wanted to do was push the male away, but instead, she melted into his embrace, feeling at ease when he wrapped his muscular arms around her slim waist.

Kiba pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers. "I like you. I'm trying to get to know you Sakura."

Emerald eyes gazed into dark orbs and after searching them for a few minutes, Sakura thought maybe Kiba was being sincere. There could be a budding relationship between them. 

"Okay, "she answered as she turned back to face the shimmering water.

Kiba leaned against her and let his hands slide to her hips. Sakura's neither regions throbbed once more. Kiba kissed the back of her neck after moving her soft hair out of the way. "I wouldn't mind making you mine though..."

His voice turned husky and heated Sakura's body further. It was when Kiba's hand snuck underneath her jacket to ghost across her bare stomach when it registered what he said.

" _You pig_!" she raged as she grasped Kiba by his jacket, hauling him up and over the side of the bridge.

Kiba landed in the only waist deep stream with a thud and sat up sputtering and coughing. "Damn it Sakura! I wasn't talking about screwing you! Could you stop being such a bitch and realize that I like you!"

Sakura paused for a moment. She thought he was talking about sex, but did he mean something else? "I don't understand."

Kiba stood up, his entire body shaking as the icy air bit at him. "I want you to be my girlfriend one day. That's what I meant by making you mine."

She blinked. Sakura hadn't had a boyfriend since Sasuke and he never voiced his feelings. She didn't mean as much to him when he took off again and left her a note saying:

_What we had is over. I must fulfill my mission._

Since then, she never trusted another man, but was it worth giving another shot?

"We'll see," the young woman said before her eyebrows furrowed and she rolled up the sleeve of her right arm. "Wait, _what did you call me Kiba Inuzuka?_ "

Kiba watched with dread as Sakura jumped off the bridge and stalked through the water towards him. "Go easy on me, I-  _ah!_ "

 


	7. VII

Kiba rubbed his cheek in annoyance as he headed towards the training grounds. Sakura had been nice enough to heal his face after she hit him hard enough to crack bone, but she only healed it enough to keep it from bruising. It still throbbed whenever he tried to talk. Could she stop the violence?! It was almost eleven, and he headed there to set up for his and Sakura's date. She didn't know they would have it today, but she would after he finished because he would head to the hospital to find her. She would go on her lunch break soon.

The male chuckled as he reached the opening of the training grounds. He hoped she wasn't looking for a "let me sweep you off your feet" date, which she shouldn't expect coming from him, anyway. Kiba made it unique and lots of fun. Afterward, he'd cook them dinner over the fire and they could just talk depending on how cold it got. Kiba picked up that Sakura got cold easy last night when they headed to the bridge. She shivered within seconds, and he didn't want her uncomfortable... but the cold was an excuse to cuddle.

A smile formed on his tanned face, but he stopped it. He wasn't just trying to get inside Sakura. Well, he was, but his intentions expanded. He understood that forcing Sakura into something she wasn't comfortable with would push her away and he didn't want that. After reaching in his pocket and feeling what he needed, Kiba set to work at putting everything in place. It took about an hour and a half for him to get everything together and once he finished; he wiped the sweat from his brow and his fanged smile emerged as he headed towards the hospital after making a quick stop at the Yamanaka flower shop.

A few moments passed before Kiba reached the large white building where Sakura would be. Colorful leaves littered the browning grass out front. As he headed towards the entrance, a black and white cat crept across the grass. Kiba growled and moved into his animal stance. The cat froze in its place  and its yellow eyes gazed over at Kiba. He watched with annoyance as its back arched upwards, readying itself for battle. The Inuzuka didn't even think twice before launching himself at the feline. It jumped high in the air and scratched him across his neck. He slung it into a nearby tree, but before he could launch his attack, it scampered off.

"Keh, pussy."

"You're an idiot."

Kiba looked over to see Sakura watching him, arms crossed over her chest. She cocked one hip to the side and gave him half a smirk. "So, ah, what are you up to?"

The male shinobi cheeks flared, something he wasn't very used to and didn't like. "Chasing a cat. What does it look like?"

Sakura's smile grew wider as she reached up to hook stray tresses of coral hair behind her ear. "Looks like it was kicking your ass."

Kiba sucked his teeth. "Shut up."

Sakura laughed and wrapped her red jacket around her shoulders. "Not my fault. Why are you here anyway? Besides you know... chasing a cat. And where is Akamaru?"

Kiba looked at the rose he bent because he had to destroy that cat. Cats didn't bother him most times, but there was just something about that one that annoyed him.

"He's with Tamako and I came to tell you about our date tonight," he answered, raking his free clawed hand through his unruly dark brown locks. "I bought this for you too. Sorry, it doesn't look the way it did when I got it. "

A soft smile crossed her lips and Sakura took a few steps forward, reaching her hand out for the rose. Kiba handed it over and watched with curiosity as the smaller woman held the flower to her chest and smelled it, bright green orbs closing as she let out a soft breath. A puff of smoke escaped from her lips due to the chilly air and Kiba wanted nothing more than to kiss her.

"Thanks, Kiba," the medical ninja said with a smile.

It was a genuine smile, and he realized she appreciated the small show of affection. Kiba wasn't the guy to get a girl flowers; it was last-minute, but he was sure she'd like it.

"So, I want you to meet me at the training grounds around five okay?" he said while closing the distance between them a little more. "Don't wear an outfit you wouldn't want to mess up."

Pink brows knitted with might have been confusion or interest. "What are we going to do?"

Kiba grinned. "It's a surprise."

Sakura huffed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm heading out for lunch and I'll see you later."

A light blush tinted her porcelain cheeks, and she tiptoed to plant a kiss on the darker male's cheek. Sakura pulled back and continued to gaze at him for a moment and Kiba took that moment to wrap one arm around her slim waist and tilt her chin up. He planted a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Catch ya later."

As they went their separate ways, Kiba picked up on a small difference: Sakura would have flipped on him for telling her to shut up, but this time she hadn't. Maybe she was relaxing after their talk at the bridge. If so, he was making progress with her. Right now, he needed to get home because being that close to Sakura set his rut into overdrive. Luckily tomorrow was the last day of his crazed sex drive.

Kiba's eyebrows furrowed at the stinging sensation on the right side of his neck from where the feline's claws got him. "Stupid fucking cat. Damn, I should have had Sakura heal me."

* * *

 

Sakura bustled around the hospital, humming to herself. She was in a good mood after her brief encounter with Kiba. What was this guy doing to her? Before, she saw him as an annoyance and a horny bastard trying to get in her pants. She still wasn't sure if that was all he was after, but with his rut ending soon, he wouldn't be thinking with the head between his legs... as much. Still, she couldn't deny the pounding of her heart when he came around and how she melted at his animalist nature. Their encounter on the bridge plagued her mind. His closeness, the heat from his body radiating against her seemed... right. Then there was that beautiful little puppy she held. It was like she couldn't let her go; Sakura wanted no one else to have her.

"Hey, Sakura?"

The rosette snapped out of her thoughts and turned towards the person who called her. She smiled at the Hokage's assistant. "Hi, Shizune. How... are... you?"

The older woman's black hair was now burgundy and butch cut. It was shocking since Shizune was a more conservative person and making such a change was out of character for her.

Shizune sighed. "Yeah, I know. Genma and I made a bet he couldn't learn basic medical ninjutsu in a week. I still don't understand! It took Lady Tsunade a month. You and her were the only ones who perfected the technique so fast."

Shizune ran her fingers through her shortened hair. Sakura tried to stifle her laughter but burst into a fit of giggles.

The Poisons master's opaque brows knitted in confusion. "What's so funny?"

Sakura tried to stop laughing to tell Shizune what had her in such an uproar. Genma learned how to heal basic simple cuts and broken bones years ago. Once when he was on a mission as a young ninja, a good friend of his got injured. A shuriken stabbed him in a major artery, causing him to bleed out fast. Genma wasn't sure what to do and tried holding pressure, but it wasn't enough to stop the bleeding. When his friend died, he vowed to learn medical ninjutsu to help better protect the ninjas he traveled on missions with.

"Seems like he wanted you to change your hair Shizune."

The young woman explained that Genma already knew the beginning levels of medical ninjutsu and she watched with amusement as Shizune's face grew tomato red with anger. Oh, how she would love to see how this panned out when the sneaky ninja realized Shizune saw through his facade. Shizune cleared her throat and handed a chart to Sakura.

"This was the next patient. I'm going on my lunch break to have a chat with my darling boyfriend."

The pinkette snickered as she took the patient's chart. She didn't want to rat Genma out, but there was an easier way to get Shizune to change up her style rather than tricking her. He shouldn't try to force her to change her style for him. A woman shouldn't change her appearance to please other people. She should change because she wants to. That thought made Sakura run her free hand through her silky bubblegum colored locks. She had tired of her choppy hair and felt it gave her a childish look. She was no longer a child, and she loved her hair. It could be as comforting as a warm blanket. Her hair cascading down her back had become a normal sensation.

The medical shinobi headed downstairs towards the clinic, reading the patient's chart as she walked. It was a twenty-year-old female named Yui Takahashi. Her chief complaint was acute back pain. Sakura made the guess that Yui was a ninja. Back pain was a common issue caused by sparring and injuries during missions. It was a simple injury to fix when caused by muscle soreness. When it was the spine, it required careful healing due to the nervous system. Even one mistake could cause paralysis which took months to reverse... and was not always successful. Sakura walked down the lit hallway, her sandals clicking on the wooden floor. She turned right and pushed the metal double doors open. There were a few people waiting, but since it was the afternoon, it wasn't too hectic.

Sakura called the name from the chart she had been reading. A young woman with curly ebony hair stood to her feet, her bright golden eyes lit with pain. The medic watched, studying the young woman's gait as she shuffled towards her with one hand pressed to the lower right side of her back. She was limping, a good sign that the injury was affecting her ability to walk.

"If you'll follow me, we'll head into the exam room," Sakura greeted while keeping her pace slow enough to make her patient as comfortable as possible.

There was something about awkward silences that made the pink hair kunoichi uncomfortable so she always made small talk with her patients during the trip to the exam rooms. She would try to make them laugh if possible. Sakura realized from experience humor put a patient at ease.

"How are you today?" Sakura questioned, looking at Yui when she spoke to her.

Yui chuckled but winced with discomfort. "Better if I hadn't of gotten hurt."

Sakura gave her a warm smile. "True, but if you hadn't gotten hurt, you wouldn't see us. We love our patients. Only hold them hostage sometimes."

The comment made Yui laugh again, but this time she let out a snort after her laughter. Her face turned beet red with embarrassment.

"Well, you made me think I'm the funniest person in the world," the medic joked while holding a mahogany door open for the taller woman to walk through.

"It's so annoying!" Yui spoke, brushing her dark curls out of her face and rolling her eyes with a smile. "No matter what I do, I can't stop myself if I'm laughing too hard."

"I have a friend that snorts too. We didn't like each other as kids so I used to call her pig. She sounded like one though. Yours isn't bad at all."

Yui's thin lips broke into a smile once again. After closing the door behind her, Sakura turned and motioned for her patient to get up on the examination table. She saw the expression on Yui's face and smiled. "No worries, I'll help you get up."

After slowly helping her sit on the exam table, the former Team 7 female took vital signs, checking her patient's pulse and blood pressure. After getting the basics, Sakura informed her patient she wanted to examine her injury. She lifted the other woman's black tank top up to her shoulders and gazed at a large purple bruise that had formed on the right side of Yui's back. Nimble fingers glowing with soothing chakra to explore the damaged tissues.

"You've got a nice bruise on your back here," Sakura murmured, pressing her healing touch further into the area. Yui jerked. The process may be uncomfortable, but not as painful as the injury. "What happened?"

"Just this jerk I know from childhood," Yui said with a hardness in her voice. "He's such a dick."

"What a bastard," the medical ninja said, working on finding out what the exact cause of injury was. "Were you two sparing?"

Sakura removed her hands once she finished healing the area and pulled the other woman's shirt down. Yui stood up and rubbed the area where her bruise has been and the other into her curly tresses.

"Yeah, he caught me off guard," Yui said with a chuckle. "I'll get him back though. I promised myself that."

* * *

 

 Sakura looked up at the rolling dark purple clouds that were looming overhead as she made her way through the dense forest to the training grounds. She spent hours trying to figure out Kiba's date plans. All she remembered was that she shouldn't wear anything she could get messed up. Seafoam green eyes glanced down at her training outfit. It looked like the one she had during her years as a gennin and chuunin, but her black leggings went to her ankles and her crimson jacket had long sleeves on it due to the cooling weather.

It seemed like it was getting chillier as the days passed. Sakura crossed her arms under her chest as she walked, the icy wind biting at her cheeks, giving them a rosy appearance. Her hair was being blown almost hard enough to feel like someone was tugging on it. This wasn't good weather for an outside date.

"Stupid dog," Sakura muttered while trying to keep her teeth from clacking, not enjoying goosebumps crawling over her flesh.

Still, her heart was beating a mile a minute inside her chest. She had that giddy feeling, like when you first like someone. Butterflies fluttered in her abdomen and Sakura willed them away. It's amazing that a short while ago, being around Kiba brought no emotion but now he was in her thoughts all the time. Once she reached the open area, Sakura blinked. He turned their training field into what looked like a large obstacle course. Did Kiba set up this entire thing today? As her gaze wandered from the huge climbing wall to the jungle gym over a pit of mud, a little smile broke out over her face. This looked like a lot of fun and Sakura loved a physical challenge.

"Took you long enough. Did you crawl all the way here?"

Sakura whirled around to see a smug Inuzuka male standing behind her with his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"Look you ba-"

Her words caught in her throat as he advanced and stopped in front of her. His dark eyes gazed down at Sakura and locked with her own. "You ready for our date?"

"Yes," she answered, "but isn't it a little cold to be doing this challenge?"

"That's part of the challenge."

Sakura placed her hands on her hips and shifted her weight to one leg. "Didn't you learn your lesson when we were on the mission and you got sick?"

"No," he said with a smile. "Come on, it will be fun. How about we skip the parts that are water related for now?"

Sakura thought about it for a moment. "I guess that isn't so bad. So how do we play?"

At that moment familiar barking sounded in their ears. The large white dog bounded up to his owner's side. Kiba scratched the back of the big canine's ears. He reached into his pocket and held up a little bell. A smile broke out on Sakura's face at the memories she had from those silver trinkets.

Kiba tied the bell around Akamaru's neck. "It's simple. Akamaru will do the obstacle course with us. Any of the challenges that have a fire marking on them mean you can't use chakra to get past it. We will race to see who can catch Akamaru first."

"So, what's the prize?" Sakura asked, her competitive nature glowing in her eyes.

"Whatever the winner decides they want," Kiba responded arching an eyebrow at her and his smile widened. "The loser has to give the winner anything they ask for."

The young woman's lips pursed as her anger rose. Kiba picked up on it and hooked an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm not the horrible person you think I am. I'm a jerk, but I'm not that much of one. You need to stop thinking so bad about me."

Sakura let Kiba hold her, his warmth penetrating through her jacket. Being in his muscular embrace made her feel safe despite her own phenomenal strength The Sannin’s apprentice pulled away from his grasp, her cheeks flushing red with the strong sensation that filtered between her legs. Why was she getting aroused when Kiba was around?

"Okay sounds good," she said as she walked to where the start like dug into the ground was. "I will win though."

"We'll see," Kiba said. "All right. Ready... set... go!"

With that, they were running as fast as they could to the first challenge: that giant wall she had seen when she first arrived. There were two thick knotted ropes hanging from each side.

This is way too easy! I'll just jump over the wall and... damn it! 

Sakura frowned when she saw the marking etched into the wood. Akamaru hopped over the wall, making Sakura realize that he still used chakra. She sprinted to it, grasped the rope, and hauled herself up. Putting one hand over the other, the kunoichi soon made it to the top of the wall, jumped down, and rolled when she landed to avoid injury. As they completed challenge after challenge, Sakura felt the strain from not using her chakra, but that didn't stop her from giving it her all. She had almost caught Akamaru when they were low crawling underneath sixty feet of netting. It was difficult for the canine, but he eluded her grasp with a burst of chakra, the large dog crawled faster.

They were on the last obstacle: a run through the woods guided by signs pointing the way. The pinkette was in the lead. She had always been a strong runner but seeing those fire markings on each place that pointed the next direction was driving her crazy. As she rounded the corner, Sakura passed the last marking without a second thought. The finish line was only a hundred feet away, and she was hot on Akamaru's heels. She would definitely win.

"Should have paid attention!"

Next thing she knew, Kiba blasted past her and Sakura's heart sunk when she watched him tackle the large dog only seconds before he crossed the finish line. Sakura stopped soon after, breath coming in gasps. She was no longer cold, but she was definitely a little ticked off. That last sign did not have a marking on it and she didn't even notice it.

Kiba turned around, greeting her with an irritating smile while he held the little bell in one hand and rubbed Akamaru with the other.

"I could have won if I had been paying more attention," Sakura spat.

The brown-haired male continued to give her that annoying grin and said, "Could have doesn't cut it."

"So, what do you want from me?"

Kiba's dark brows furrowed and his smile diminished. "Why do you say it like that? Like I'll make you do something bad."

Sakura gazed at him with a blank expression. "Well then, tell me what you want."

"Can't you stop being so closed?! I'm not out to hurt you, Sakura. I want to spend time with you. That's all the fuck I want, but you keep fighting against me!"

The taller male closed the gap between them and placed a hand on the surprised woman's left shoulder. "I know you want that too. I can sense it. Just let me in. I promise you I won't hurt you."

His outburst took Sakura by surprise. She would have yelled back at him and punched him in the face, but his words stabbed at her. Was it so bad she was protecting herself from heartache? It was only natural that one didn't want to feel the pain caused by someone you cared about. Still, it would be a lot harder to find happiness if she shut out anyone who tried to get close to her. Maybe...

"Okay," Sakura breathed, wrapping her arms around Kiba's waist. "I'll try to let you in."

Kiba ran clawed fingers through Sakura's sweat soaked hair. He leaned down and inhaled her scent. Although there was a hint of salt, he could still smell that wild berries that was her. She was intoxicating, like a drug and he was an addict. This woman was lighting him on fire in ways he couldn't comprehend without her trying. He pulled her smaller frame flush against his body as thunder rolled overhead and their bodies cooled from their exhilarating run through the obstacle course.

"Kiba..." she whispered, heating his body further. He sensed intense warmth radiating from her.

He pressed his lips against Sakura's and relished her strong, but delicate arms wrapping around his broad shoulders. Unable to stop himself, Kiba moved his right hand to grip Sakura's hip, the tips of his fingers gliding against her soft skin. As the first drops of frigid rain fell on their skin, the young couple broke apart and smiled. Akamaru stood off to the side watching the entire order, long tail wagging his approval.

"I'll see ya later okay?" Kiba said while gazing at the beautiful female in front of him.

"Sounds good," Sakura answered, cheeks flushed pink and eyes laden with desire.

Kiba loved her expression. There was no other reason than Sakura was his mate. He could feel the heat radiating from her like a blazing fire. One day he could quench that unbearable thirst, but for now, he would take his time to avoid scaring her away. He’d save cooking a meal for her on a day that had better weather.

As he turned to walk away, he heard Sakura say, "Tomorrow you get to be my dog for the day."

_"What?!"_

A figure watched as the couple began their usual banter through large yellow eyes and after a gentle lick of a paw, the two were alone once again.


	8. VIII

Kiba woke up to banging on his room door. What the heck was going on? He looked through bleary eyes at his window, the sun rosing above the horizon. Kiba moaned. Who in the fuck was messing with his sleep? It couldn't be his mother because she would just barge in and kick him out of bed. His sister would just knock and go away if he didn't answer.

Kiba flipped off his blankets and threw his legs over the side of the bed. He yanked the door open. "What?!"

He realized there was a very smug looking Sakura standing in his doorway. Why was she here so early? She didn’t mention coming over to him during their time together the night before. Her confident look evaporated as her eyes gazed from his face down to his bare chest. Kiba noticed and was glad he stayed fit. He leaned against the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest.

"See something you like?" he murmured.

He sensed Sakura's arousal. Damn it, he already had a morning hard on so her staring at him with a hungry look in her eyes wasn't making anything better. Her gazed moved back towards his face. A dark blush was tinting her cheeks, making her look even more irresistible. A soft growl rumbled in Kiba's chest. Sakura continued to stare at the tanned man in front of her. He was so... magnetic. Had he always been this good-looking? Why didn't she notice before? There was something about his fangs that was making her hot. She wanted nothing more than to kiss him, his large hands roaming all over her soft curves. Sakura bit her lip, trying and failing to bring her thoughts back to where they should be.

She could hear him growling at her and was so erotic. "He's very attractive" didn't fit the level of sex appeal Kiba radiated. He was so primal and animalistic. Sakura realized her attraction to him, but it had never hit her this hard before. It was like she couldn't control her own body. Kiba held up a clawed finger and motioned for her to come closer. Sakura's legs moved on their own accord until she was mere centimeters away. Kiba pushed himself off the door frame, causing Sakura to have to look up at the taller male. He reached up to brush his fingers against the side of her face. Sakura leaned into his hand.

What in the world was going on? She normally would have smacked the shit out of him, but she couldn't stop herself. She noticed that her body always seemed turned on when Kiba got too close. The medic couldn't understand it. Was Kiba's rut affecting her, too? Was that possible?  If so, it makes sense why Ino and Kiba couldn't keep their hands to themselves. Sakura realized she would have to talk to Ino about this. She was already dreading that moment.

Her mind refocused on Kiba when his dark eyes locked with hers. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, his breath fanning her neck and sending shivers up her spine.

Kiba glanced up and moved away from Sakura. She almost reached for him, disliking the cool sensation of being without his touch. She heard footsteps and soon Hana rounded the corner.

"I thought I sensed you here," she said, gracing Sakura with a beautiful smile. "Would you like to help with the puppies this morning?"

Sakura's eyes lit up. "Yes! I'd like to see how my little Kiyomi is doing."

Kiba grabbed a shirt and pulled it over his head as they walked to the den where the puppies were. Tamako's head lifted and her tail wagged when she saw who was there.

When they all crouched around her, Tamako's wise eyes glanced at Sakura. She turned her eyes over to Kiba. "She is your mate, isn't she?"

"I think so," Kiba answered. "She doesn't know yet though."

"I don't know what?" Kiba turned to look at her with a small smirk crossing his lips. Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "You're talking about me."

Tamako turned her head back to Sakura and licked her hand. "She seems feisty. I like her already."

Kiba placed his right hand on Sakura's back without responding to her question. "Do you know which one is Kiyomi?"

There were two puppies that were all white, but Sakura pointed without hesitation to the puppy closer to her. "That's Kiyomi."

"How do you know?" Kiba asked.

"I don't know, I have this connection with her."

At the sound of Sakura's voice, the small pup clumsily turned towards her, eyes still closed. She cried while trying to move in Sakura's direction. Sakura placed a hand to her heart. How adorable! She wanted nothing more than to hold the little infant to her chest to calm her. She reached a handout but faltered. She remembered hearing if humans touched a newborn puppy, the mother wouldn't recognize it and might kill it.

"It's okay," Hana coaxed. "You can hold her for a few moments if you'd like."

"Is it safe?" Sakura asked, eyes remaining locked on the white puppy. "I read you shouldn't hold puppies when-"

Both Hana and Kiba laughed. Sakura looked between the two, unsure of why they were laughing. Tamako looked at her as if she were laughing too.

"What's so funny?"

"You see Sakura," Hanna began. "Inuzuka canines are more advanced than regular dogs. You've noticed how Kiba can talk to Akamaru right?"

"Yes, I have," Sakura confirmed.

"They're almost like people with fur," Hanna continued while picking up one puppy. "Tamako will not hurt the puppies if you touch them. She thinks like us and realizes that is unnecessary."

Green eyes turned to the pup that made it to Sakura's lap. She scooped the little bundle up. Kiyomi continued to make little whining sounds that melted Sakura's heart. She already loved this puppy. She couldn't wait until she got bigger, and they got to know each other.

"Kiba, will I be able to talk to her like you can talk to Akamaru?"

"Yes," Kiba responded. "It will take a lot of effort to form an unbreakable bond with her before that will happen.”

Sakura stroked the small animal for a few more moments before placing her back with Tamako. She wondered where Akamaru was, but she remembered Kiba telling her the night before that he would stay out of her way for a while until the puppies at least opened their eyes. Hanna checked each puppy to make sure it was breathing okay and crying. They all seemed healthy.

"Well," Hanna teased. "I’ll leave the two of you alone."

When Kiba's sister exited the room, Sakura turned to face Kiba but got pulled into his embrace before she realized what was happening. Kiba pressed his lips against hers and Sakura melted into his embrace. Heat radiated from them both. Kiba's hands wrapped around Sakura's waist. He wanted to go further, but he knew he had to take it slow with Sakura. Her allowing him to kiss her and responding proved her interest.

Kiba pulled away and smirked at how cute her cheeks looked when they were flushed pink. "So, what brings you by so early in the morning?"

A smile tugged at her lips. "You're my dog today remember?"

Dread filled Kiba's being. They had their date and now it was his turned to play her loyal four-legged companion. Kiba knew Sakura planned to embarrass the shit out of him.

"Right now?" he croaked.

"Yep!" Sakura laughed a little. "Are you hungry? I've already eaten but can't have you skipping breakfast."

"I have leftovers in the fridge from dinner last night so I'll have that."

"I'll warm it up for you," Sakura offered. "Just lead me to the kitchen."

Kiba swallowed his offensive comment about Sakura being in the kitchen for him. He already knew it was a bad idea, he learned that a long time ago as a young teenager. He led Sakura through the winding paths of his house until they reached the kitchen. Akamaru was there. His tail wagged as he stood up to greet his comrade.

"Kiba, you will feed me, right?" Akamaru rubbed his large head against Kiba's leg and the male reached down to scratch behind his ears. Akamaru moved over to Sakura who kneeled down to pet the large dog. She scratched underneath his chin. "How does she know my favorite spot? She _must_ be your mate."

Kiba laughed out loud and Sakura gave him a confused look. "What's funny?"

"Nothing," Kiba answered. He walked to the fridge and pulled his leftovers out. "You don't have to warm it up. I'm fine eating it cold."

"You eat your leftovers cold?" She gave the brunette a strange look. "Leftovers are weird when they're cold."

"Yeah, who asked you?" Kiba snapped. "I like it okay?"

"Don't catch an attitude Inuzuka," she huffed. "I didn't plan to start now, but you want to be an asshole."

Kiba gulped. His mouth always got him in trouble. Dread once again built up in his core as he pulled out a pair of chopsticks. He gave Sakura a confused look when she reached for his meal. His eyes widened when she reached for an empty dog bowl sitting on the counter.

"Don't you dare," Kiba warned.

"I dare," Sakura challenged. She dumped the food into a bowl.

Akamaru barked. Sakura looked at the large dog and laughed. "You think it's funny too, don't you Akamaru?"

His tail continued to wag. Kiba's expression soured at his companion. "You don't expect me to eat out of that do you?"

"Yes, I do," Sakura answered. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him half a smile. "Do you go back on your word?"

Kiba grumbled underneath his breath, reaching out with his chopsticks to eat his breakfast.

"No, no, no," Sakura cooed. "Dogs do not use chopsticks."

Kiba grasped Sakura and pulled her into his embrace. His mouth hovered near her ear. She shuddered at his closeness. "When this is over, you will pay."

Kiba licked the shell of her ear while running his hands down her sides. He left a gentle kiss against her neck before releasing her and turning to eat his breakfast. The sooner this was over, the better.

 

Kiba was ready to die. Not only did his sweet possible mate make him wear a collar, she also made him walk on a leash. They ran into all their comrades. First, it was Naruto, Sai, Shikamaru, and Chouji, who were all at Ichiraku's when they walked by. They laughed first then Shikamaru remembered the bet and informed them that was why Kiba was playing Sakura's pet.

"Can I pet you, Kiba?" Naruto joked, leaning down to smile in Kiba's face.

"If he bites you, that's your fault," Sakura giggled.

Kiba snarled, causing Naruto's smile to fade. He took a few steps back and withdrew his hand. "Geez Kiba, have a sense of humor!"

"Are you the one on a damn leash?!" Kiba roared.

Sakura burst into a fit of laughter, doubling over and holding her sides. Kiba turned to look at her. Although his predicament pissed him off, he was still enjoying seeing her smile. The way she was smiling comforted him even if he was the brunt of the joke. After that, Kiba ran into Kurenai sensei. Kairi had her small hand in her mother's. Kurenai paused, her red orbs gazing between Sakura and Kiba. Kairi broke from her mother's grasp and ran up to Kiba. She placed her hands on Kiba's face, a bright smile on her features.

"Doggy!"

Kiba's ego drop even further. Still, this pup was like family. Kiba barked and panted for the little girl and licked her cheek. Kairi giggled louder and petted Kiba's face.

"Good doggy!"

Kurenai laughed. "This is strange, but Kiba?"

"Yeah Kurenai-sensei?"

"Never lick Kari’s face again. That's disgusting."

"Hey!" Kiba shouted. "That's what my clan does!"

Kurenai shook her head with a smile. "I can see that."

The day dragged on much longer than he would have liked, but Kiba enjoyed spending time with Sakura. He had to admit that he liked when she rubbed the top of his head. He was like a canine. The evening came, darkened with an impending storm. It would snow. It was super early for snow, but Kiba wouldn't mind it. Snow was beautiful, something that seemed so pure despite the bloodthirsty world he lived in.

"I suppose I can let you be a person again," Sakura joked.

Kiba got off all fours, placing a hand to his lower back. He grimaced. "My back is killing me!"

"Here, let me," Sakura whispered.

She reached underneath the back of his jacket and underneath his black shirt. Her hand was like ice at first, but when she channeled chakra into her hand, warmth spread across his skin. After a few moments, his back no longer hurt.

"You're amazing Sakura," Kiba said, gazing down at the smaller woman.

Sakura blushed. "Come inside before it rains... or snows."

"Where are we going?" Kiba asked.

"Um, well I suppose we could go to my place."

Kiba smirked at her. "Want to finish what we started earlier?"

"Stop it!"

(-)

Just as they were almost to Sakura's home, thunder sounded overhead, and it rain. The duo looked at each other and smiled, moving faster to avoid getting drenched. However, they still got a little wet. When Sakura opened the door, she welcomed the warm embrace of her home. She had better get into warm clothes before she ended up getting sick like Kiba had.

"Would you like a towel?" she asked.

"Yeah, thanks."

The pinkette moved to her bathroom and pulled out two white fluffy towels. She re-entered the living room and tossed one to Kiba. "I'm going to change into something dry. I'll be right back."

Sakura pushed open the shoji panel to her room open and rummaged through her mahogany dresser near the door. Pulling out black sweatpants and a black top, Sakura dried her hair then changed into warmer clothes. She wished she had clothes for Kiba to change into. Sakura's jaw dropped when she headed back into the living room. Kiba had the towel wrapped around his waist. His chest was bare and his clothes were in a pile at his feet. He leaned down onto all fours and shook like the canine he was. His dark wild hair hung by his ears. The look he gave her when his eyes turned to lock on her gave her goosebumps. He reached up, tanned skin rippling due to the firm muscle underneath. He ran his clawed hands through his wet hair, closing his eyes before opening them again.

The leash remained attached to the collar he wore, making him look even more animalistic than usual. He was gorgeous, Sakura had to admit to herself. She felt her body turning on like a light switch, a delicious sensation running into her core. She didn't realize she placed her hand over herself until Kiba advanced on her, his larger hand covering her smaller one.

"I want this so bad," he whispered in her ear, rubbing his fingers between hers against her sweatpants. "I don't want to fuck up things between us. I like you and-"

Sakura cut off Kiba's words by pressing her lips against his. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to his body. Their tongues danced, fighting for dominance. Sakura reached up to lock her fingers through his damp hair. Kiba growled into their kiss, his right hand reaching to grip her butt. They broke for air, both panting with desire. Sakura craved to have her body underneath Kiba. He was the epitome of everything that was masculine. When she was this close to him, Sakura smelled a scent that was deep and rich, something like the bark of a tree. It was earthy and forest smell that fit him.

Kiba noticed that Sakura was sniffing him. She was already becoming an Inuzuka, her canine instincts showing. Why shouldn't he have her then? She couldn't fight their connection either. Thunder sounded overhead, but Kiba didn't miss the soft purr that escaped from her throat.

"You have a thing for thunderstorms, don't you?" Kiba teased.

"Shut up and come here."

Their lips locked again, and they sauntered towards the couch, their hands wandering all over each other's bodies. Sakura felt Kiba's arousal and was itching to get her hands on it. She wasn't a complete amateur to sexual encounters, but she had never gone all the way. Sasuke left, and he was the one she wanted intimacy with. She didn't feel desired by him, just used. This was different. Kiba's need matched hers with ferocious intensity. Taking things too far still worried her, but the moisture pooling in her underwear made her not care.

Sakura laid down on her couch, her thighs parting. Kiba took his place between her legs, his member pressing into her core. Heat radiated from her and her arousal once again invaded Kiba's nose. His body was rising to dangerous temperatures just looking at the lust in her eyes. They were half-lidded as she bit her lip at him. That was the last straw. Kiba ran his hands up Sakura's sides and kissed her neck. He had to stop himself from marking her. His lips remained against her pulse before running his tongue along the hollow of her throat. His hips thrust forward, causing Sakura to groan. Her muscular legs wrapped around his waist; her fingers ran from his chest down to his chisel abs.

"Kiba," she panted.

His dick twitched at the sound her his name on her lips. He daydreamed about this for weeks. Kiba would savor every moment of this, making her into a writhing mess before giving her sweet release. He lowered his mouth against hers, his fangs scraping against her tongue. Kiba sat up. Sakura did the same. She felt someone's presence coming, but it wasn't human. Soon barking and scratching at the door sounded. Kiba jumped up and ran to open the door. There stood a soaking wet Akamaru. He whimpered and lifted his front paws up and down frantically.

"Kiba, someone has ransacked the compound!"

"What?!"

Sakura jumped up and ran to put her sandals on. She tossed Kiba his wet clothes. She grasped a jacket from the back of a chair and threw it at Kiba.

"I hope that will help," Sakura explained. "Now let's go."

Kiba looked at Sakura. "You know what he said?"

"No," she answered, "but with how frantic he seems, something bad must have happened. Now lead the way Akamaru!"

The trio arrived at the compound in record time, throwing the door open and stepping inside. Sakura gasped and placed her hands over her mouth. Someone trashed the entire home. Everything got thrown all over the floor, shredded furniture littered the carpet, and someone scrawled "Rabid dogs" over the walls.

Kiba sniffed around with Akamaru. He turned to Sakura for a moment. "Please go check on the puppies!"

Sakura followed his instructions without a moment's hesitation. She bolted down the hallways; her legs on autopilot until she reached the puppies. Sakura saw Tamako whimpering next to her puppies. She had a large gash on her ribs and scrapes lining her body. The wound on her side was still bleeding, but the mother dog seemed oblivious to it. She nudged at one of the little brown puppies, the small baby not responding.

"Oh, no..."

Sakura scooped up the puppy. She didn't feel a pulse and the little male pup was not breathing. His body temperature dropped, so she knew it was too late to save him. Two other puppies also died. Sakura's heart felt like someone ripped it in half. Tears flowed as she reached her puppy Kiyomi. She held the white pup to her chest, her breath hitching.

"Kiyomi," she whispered.

Sakura paused for a moment. She thought she felt the baby pup's chest expand. Was she still breathing? Sakura rubbed the pup the same way she had when she was first born. With determination, Sakura didn't stop until she heard a small cry. Sakura laughed with happiness and Tamako rushed over, her tail wagging.

"Thank you, Sakura!"

Green orbs widened in surprise when she understood what she  said. Sakura petted Tamako’s tawny fur before placing the puppy down for the mother to love on. The other remaining puppies were okay. What happened here?

"Tamako," Sakura began, unsure if what she heard earlier had been a fluke. "Who did this to you?"

Just then, Kiba, Hana, and Akamaru rushed in. Hana went to check on the puppies.

"We've lost three," Sakura informed her. "I've checked on them all for Tamako, but she has a good laceration on her right side and small abrasions to her face."

Hana nodded and looked over Tamako. Kiba had a murderous expression on his face while Akamaru stood ready for battle. "The Neko Clan did this."

 


	9. IX

“Who are the Neko Clan?” Sakura questioned, holding a warm mug of tea in her hands. 

A blanket wrapped around her shoulders and her shivering lessened. Hana gave her some dry clothes to put on. She bundled Kiyomi up against her mother along with the other six pups that made it through the attack. Sakura’s heart ached for Tamako and Kiba’s family all together. Who could harm innocent babies like that? She never heard of the Neko Clan before, but they were pieces of shit in her book and if she got to meet one, she would rearrange their face in the most beautiful way. 

Kiba sat to her left, also changed out of wet clothes with a grey blanket around his body. Akamaru hunkered down underneath it, a soft growl emitting from his throat. The big canine was livid. When someone killed another’s pups, it was a sign they planned on taking over their territory and the Inuzuka Clan would not let that happen.

“Bastards!” Kiba yelled. “They will pay for this!”

Akamaru barked in agreement, his large tail thumping against the wood floor.

“We need to wait for mother to return,” Hana spoke. “She is our leader. She would not approve of us acting without her acknowledgment.”

Kiba jumped to his feet and paced the floor. “They broke into our home and killed our family. Why would we wait for revenge?!”

Hana’s features remained calm. “Because that’s what they would expect us to do. We would play right into their hands. We’re just mangy mutts to them. They have no regard or respect for our clan.”

Kiba ran a clawed hand through his still damp locks. He looked over at Sakura, who didn’t say a word, only patted the spot next to her. Kiba let out a deep breath before plopping back down next to her and leaning over to lay his head in her lap. Sakura didn’t so much as blush; she stroked Kiba’s hair with affection. He needed support after something so tragic. She knew he liked her and wasn’t using this as an opportunity to get close to her. Just before Akamaru came, she was ten seconds from letting Kiba undress her.

That caused heat to flood to her core. The feel of his calloused hands roaming her body sent lightning coursing through her being. She wanted him to touch her everywhere; she wanted to touch _him_. Looking deep into his eyes and seeing not only lust but a soft expression there quelled any doubts she had. She smiled softly down at him as he made himself comfortable, curling his knees up to his chest.

“You asked who the Neko Clan is,” Hana began, taking a sip of her still steaming tea before placing it down in front of her. Her dark eyes were very serious as she spoke. “They are a clan we have rivaled with for hundreds of years. Before the Inuzuka Clan made Konoha its home, we lived on the east shores of the Land of Fire, about thirty miles away from the Land of Whirlpools. It didn't have much food and water was scarce. 

“The Neko Clan were our neighbors, but due to the lack of food, they often stole from us to feed their people. We did the same. However, one night, a group of ninjas from the Neko Clan grew bold and decided they would ransack our Leader Ichiro Inuzuka’s quarters hoping to find items they could sell. This was before the First Ninja War. It was hard for shinobi to find work and when they did, a majority of the missions were D rank, C if you were lucky. We all know those pay little.”

Hana paused for a moment to take a sip of her tea. Sakura had long abandoned hers. This story engrossed her, and the concentration in her deep jade eyes showed that. 

“The Inuzuka couldn’t smell when the Neko ninjas would come into their village?” Sakura questioned.

Hana shook her head. “The Neko Clan were excellent at magic. They had a way to cover their scents. We still aren't sure how their magic works.”

“Was it genjutsu?” Sakura asked, still running her fingers through Kiba’s hair. 

Hana shrugged before pulling the black coat she had on tighter around her. “We don’t know. Some stories say they didn’t use hand signals, just conjuring words. Maybe it was genjutsu.”

Hana pulled her brown tresses that were in a low ponytail over her shoulder and played with the ends. “That night, the Neko Clan accidentally went into the wrong tent. They had gone into Ichiro’s daughter’s tent instead. She was a kindhearted woman. She wanted nothing more than the Neko Clan and the Inuzuka Clan to have peace… and they killed her. They took all her jewelry, a small box of money, and all the nice clothes they could find. Her father was the one who discovered her body.”

Sakura's knees moved to her chest, and she wrapped her arms around them, keeping her attention trained on Hana as she spoke.

“He knew who did it. The Neko are like the Inuzuka Clan, only they have cats. They can transform into any feline. Those responsible for her death left fur all over the room, we guess because they were inexperienced. After that, Ichiro and his advisors made plans to annihilate the Neko Clan for what they did to Ruka. They laid waste to the Neko Clan, sparing no woman, child, or the elderly.”

Sakura's heart dropped. Why did they kill Ruka? She guessed because she must have screamed or something and the Neko feared her getting the Inuzuka Ninjas’ attention. She also didn’t think Ichiro should have killed innocent people who weren’t involved in the attack. One thing made little sense to her.

“So, Ichiro must not have killed everyone if the Neko Clan is back,” she commented.

Hana nodded in agreement. “They left for a mission and returned to the massacre. By the time they did, The Second Hokage Tobirama Senju requested the Inuzuka Clan move to Konoha and become part of their shinobi force.  Soon after was the First Shinobi War.”

“Then the question is how did they get to Konoha undetected by the Inuzuka Clan?” Kiba spoke from his place in Sakura’s lap. “How long have they been here?”

“They must be using that ability that prevents you guys from being able to detect them,” Sakura answered. Sakura surveyed the trashed den. “Have you guys sniffed around? Maybe they slipped and left a scent.”

“I doubt it,” Hana said, running her fingers through her ponytail. 

Sakura gave her a serious look before looking down at Kiba. “Can’t hurt to try. Also, Tamako, did you get a look at your attackers?”

Tamako barked at her words and the pinkette leaned over to pet the dog’s head.

“She said all she remembers is curly hair before they transformed into a large panther. That’s all she saw,” Kiba translated.

That could be anyone. There were many people with curly hair in Konoha. She looked at the place on Tamako’s side where the large gash had been and it pleased her that her medical ninjutsu healed it; however, the spots with no fur were a reminder of what happened. A frantic knock sounded at the door. They could hear it being swung open and all three ninjas got to their feet. Sakura pulled out a kunai while Hana and Kiba bared their fangs, ready for battle.

“Kiba?! Hana?! Lady Tsume?!”

It was the voice of a girl. It must have been someone they knew because Kiba and Hana relaxed. Kiba wore an uncomfortable expression from the voice. He looked almost troubled. Hana bit her lip 0before shouting, “We’re down here Kala!”

Footsteps hurried in their direction and a woman burst through the hallway, long spiky brown hair flowing past her when she stopped. Her dark cinnamon eyes searched the room and when they landed on Kiba, a look of happiness sprang onto her red marked cheeks. 

“Kiba!” she shouted, bounding towards him and hooking her arms around his neck. “I’m so glad you’re okay! I’m glad all of you are okay! Is Lady Tsume still on a mission?”

Sakura’s eyebrow rose at the display. Kiba placed his hand around his neck to unhook her arms and took a step back. “Yeah, we’re okay. Lost three puppies though. Ma left for her mission, but we hope she'll be back soon.”

A sad expression darkened her features. “Oh no… Tamako, Akamaru are you guys okay?”

The two barked in unison. The Kala nodded for a moment, but then she sniffed the air. She closed the distance between her and Kiba and frowned. She continued sniffing and her gaze turned to Sakura.

“Who’s this?” she questioned, looking Sakura up and down distastefully.

“I am the Hokage’s apprentice,” Sakura answered, crossing her arms over her chest. “Although I have long since surpassed Lady Tsunade in strength.”

“Tch,” Kala responded. “So, what are you doing here?”

“I’m here because Kiba wants me here,” was Sakura’s answer as they locked eyes. 

Kala looked shocked before her expression vanished into distaste. “Well Kiba and I-”

“So!”  Hana interrupted. “Let’s check for scents then clean up.”

Sakura and Kala continued to stare each other down for a few more seconds before Sakura picked up pieces of a broken table. 

“I’ll get bags,” Hana spoke before heading off to the kitchen. “Kiba and Akamaru, search the house for any scents. Kala, can you check outside the house for any scents that don’t belong to us?” 

Kala adjusted the headband on her forehead. “It’s snowing outside now. Any scents have washed away.”

“Doesn’t hurt to check,” Hana responded with a smile. “Thanks a bunch!”

With a sour look on her face, the tanned girl exited the trashed house. Sakura was more than happy to see her leave, the brat. It took everything out of her not to snap. The only reason Sakura kept her cool was because she didn’t know her relationship with Kiba and his sister. She also didn’t want to seem petty, but if that girl kept testing her patience, there may be no saving her. And who wore a kimono over leggings? That just looked ridiculous… even if it was a super cute kimono. 

Kiba gave her a weary smile before bounding off to check for scents. The medic checked on the puppies and Tamako. The little ones were asleep. Sakura went over to them with Kiba’s discarded blanket and put it over them. 

“Tamako, can you check for scents in here?” Sakura questioned.

Tamako barked and stood, weaving her way over broken glass and destroyed furniture. A green couch off to the far right had giant slashes, like an animal sliced through it. They didn’t put holes in the walls or knock them down. Sakura was still trying to make sense of this attack. Puppy killing was cruel and sad. Why didn’t they go for someone bigger if they were trying to prove something? Like the leader? Sakura then remembered that Tsume was out of town. Were they after her?

She wondered if they should inform the Hokage, but she scratched the idea. She could already hear Lady Tsunade screaming at her to get out of her office and solve her own little squabbles. They should only ask their leader for help if they couldn't solve the issue themselves.

“If I have to step in, so help me god!” 

Sakura cringed at the thought. That was the one person who frightened her. Didn’t matter if she may be stronger than her now. Hana returned with large black bags and a cardboard box. She handed a bag to Sakura. She accepted it and bent down to pick up the debris, her long hair brushing the floor as she did so. Hana picked up the broken shards of glass and put them in the cardboard box. It took an hour to clean just the den and they'd tackle the kitchen next. The Neko Clan hadn’t destroyed the bedrooms. The less to clean, the better. 

Kala had returned about twenty minutes after Hana and Sakura cleaned and announced that she found nothing. Tamako also found nothing. Kala conspicuously ignored Sakura, and she found that cute. Kala must have a crush on Kiba. Oh well, Kiba belonged to her and there was nothing she could do about it. She wouldn’t tolerate her draping all over him either. A growl escaped her mouth and Sakura's expression changed in confusion. Did she growl like a protective dog?! Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

“I’ll go see if Kiba found anything,” she blurted out and scurried out of the den. 

Kala shook the snow from her kimono before looking over at Hana, who was scooting the couch closer to the door. There was no saving it.

“Is she Kiba’s mate?” she whispered.

Hana stood and wiped the sweat beading on her forehead. “I’m sorry Kala. She is, but she isn't aware yet.”

“Don’t say it like that,” Kala said, chuckling. “It doesn’t make me feel any better. Well, if she is to be his mate, she must be awesome. I guess I should be nice then.”

Hana smiled. “That would help.”

Kala reached down and picked up a broken picture frame. “I heard her growl. She’d rip me to shreds if I kept pinning for Kiba’s attention. I kind of like my face where it is.”

* * *

Sakura followed the sound of Kiba and Akamaru rummaging through the rooms. They didn't destroy this room, but they may have entered it.  She stood at the doorway of an unfamiliar room, her hands clasped in front of her. Kiba had his back to her while he sniffed in a closet. Akamaru turned first and barked, running to greet Sakura. She scratched underneath his chin, knowing it was a favorite spot for him.

“Have you guys found anything?” she questioned as Kiba turned to stand. 

He had shed his jacket and now only had a white shirt covering his chest. He looked around the room. “No, nothing.”

“Have you checked all the rooms already?”

Kiba hooked an arm around her waist. “Every room, but mine.”

“Let’s go see.” 

Sakura grasped Kiba’s hand, and it seemed as natural as breathing. Earlier, she thought she had been trying not to look nervous in front of Hana, but that wasn’t it. She was growing more comfortable with Kiba. She gazed at his back as he led her to his room, a smile breaking over her face. Once they reached it, the large dog and his master tried to sniff out their assailants. Sakura watched them intently as they worked, amazed at their powerful noses. They were the perfect tracking pair. While Kiba was sniffing behind a mahogany dresser to the left of his mattress, Sakura noticed something black on the back of his shirt and walked over to him.

“Hold still,” she commanded, pulling the item off his back.

It was a piece of hair. No, it was fur. There were no black dogs in Kiba’s house. She held it out to Akamaru, who sniffed it and growled. He barked at Kiba.

“She’s found a scent!”

Kiba stood up and turned around, surprise on his face. This woman continued to impress him. The way she set off like fire when Akamaru ran for their help and how she saved puppies and heal Tamako. Then there was that almost showdown between her and Kala. She handled herself with class while still letting Kala know where she stood. It was so… fucking hot. There she was, giving him that soft expression, only this time, fire burned within those deep emerald pools. She wanted him as bad as he wanted her. Their time together had been so short, but that didn’t change the intense desire that coursed through them both.

Her coral locks surrounded her like a protective blanket of cherry blossom petals, making her live up to her name. He could see it had dried and left it looking wavy down its length. Kiba reached up to run his hand through those silky locks before grasping the back of her head and pulling her towards him. Their mouths clashed; Sakura’s arms snaked around his muscled shoulders, her nails digging into their firmness.

“Kiba,” she moaned against his mouth as their tongues battled.

“Damn it,” he muttered before hoisting his partner up and dropping her on his bed. 

Kiba was on top of her before she could register what happened, his mouth running along her neck and his teeth grazing against her skin. She could hear a deep feral growl coming from him, and it turned her on like a switch. She wrapped her legs around his waist and gasped when he pushed his hard cock against her core. It felt so good.

“More Kiba,” she panted.

He looked at her to see her eyes had turned an even lighter green as if they were glowing, and his had gone from their usual dark brown, to golden. They were both ready to mate, ready to become one. Kiba planned on making her scream his name throughout the night. Suddenly, Akamaru interrupted them by barking.

“You can’t mate with her while your sister and that girl are downstairs. With our clan’s abilities, you might as well mate right in front of them.”

Kiba let out an exhausted sigh. Akamaru was right. His sister and Kala already knew what was going on. They’d be able to smell their arousal, and even if they couldn’t, they’d sense the fluctuating chakra. Fuck, why was everything cock blocking him? Sakura was ready and although it came along much quicker than he thought, he wasn’t complaining. Still, their first moment away from everyone. He wanted them to be in their own world, oblivious to everything else. Kiba sighed, sat up, and Sakura followed suit. Her eyes had returned to their normal shade.

“It’s because of your sister and Kala isn’t it?” she asked, her face flushed from their encounter.

“What makes you think that?” Kiba questioned.

Sakura shrugged. “I understood a few words Akamaru said.”

Kiba smirked. “Really? That’s awesome.”

Sakura stood and placed the fur she had accidentally dropped on the floor in Kiba’s hand. He sniffed it, handsome features souring at the scent. “Goddamn cats.”

* * *

Sakura spent about another hour helping with the clean-up and when they finished, she said goodnight to little Kiyomi and the other dogs. Kiba kissed her cheek as she was leaving and Sakura couldn’t help the smile that surfaced on her face. The walk home was frigid. Snow was on the ground, but it would soon get stomped flat by the villagers and its other inhabitants. The wind was biting fiercely at her and the pinkette thought another mug of tea would hit the spot. There was a shop on her path that served amazing tea. It warmed the body for about thirty minutes, enough time for her to travel home.

Pulling her coat around her body and tightening her hood, Sakura began the short trip to the tea shop. She slipped underneath the sheets hanging and welcomed the immediate warmth that enveloped her. Wind still blew underneath the sheets, but at least now, she wasn’t receiving the brunt of it. An older woman with her greying bun pulled up into a high, scraggly bun approached her with a warm smile.

“Sunny Tea for you my dear?” she asked. “It’ll help warm your bones.”

“Yes please,” Sakura responded, putting her hands on the bare skin of her stomach. Her own touch was like icicles, but she got used to it and her hands warmed. She would have to wear gloves next time. She would have brought them, but with how frantic Akamaru was, it hadn’t even crossed her mind. 

“Nice to see you again.”

Sakura turned to see a girl bundled up in a brown jacket taking a seat next to her. She smiled at her. She recognized those yellow eyes. It was the girl she helped at the hospital the other day. What was her name again? Sakura couldn’t remember it.

“It’s Yui,” the woman said as if reading her mind. 

“Sorry I couldn’t remember your name. I remember your face though.”

“Well, that’s a good start.” 

Yui held up a gloved hand and ordered the same tea that Sakura had. Someone brought them both steaming cups of it and they paid the owner along with giving their thanks. Sakura sipped at the tea, loving the fresh cinnamon and sweetness. She appreciated how fast it warmed her body. Sakura was thinking she may have to treat her fingers for froze bite if she stayed in that wind any longer. Yui took a small gulp of her tea before turning to face Sakura.

“Why are you outside in this bad weather?” she asked.

“Just finished helping someone clean their house,” she answered. “People came and destroyed it.”

“That’s horrible,” she breathed. “Why would someone do that?”

“They're conditioned to think their actions are justified in some way,” she responded.

Yui nodded in agreement. She stood and downed the rest of her tea. She put the mug on the counter and placed her hand on Sakura’s shoulder. “Wish your friend good luck for me,” she said.

Sakura reached up to place her hand over Yui’s, enjoying the warmth of her wrist thanks to the tea. “Thank you.”

With that, Yui was off. Sakura finished her tea and relished in her body feeling like it was out in the warmth of the summer sun. She made her way home, stomach growling and awake. She’d eat the instant ramen Naruto had stashed all over her home. The rest of the trip home was pleasant. The biting wind didn’t affect her, but it was strong enough to push her to the side a few times. Fresh snow crunched underneath her feet, its sound lost in the wailing of the wind. Sakura couldn't see three feet in front of her now that snow had fallen once again. They might get a foot of snow. It was a gamble with Konoha’s weather. 

Sakura unlocked her down, closed winter out behind her, and shed her jacket and a long sleeve shirt that Hana had given her. She would have to return those and the sweatpants. That was okay, it gave her a reason to see Kiba. Her thoughts wandered back to the dark-skinned male as she put water on the stove to boil. Each time she saw him, she was more attracted to him. She wouldn't have dreamed that she would love each time they got close to one another, but she did. It was like she had no control over her body and she didn’t care to stop herself either.

Earlier during their encounter in his room, she felt herself changing. If Akamaru had not stopped them, she would have taken him right then. She thought she would be more guarded with her virginity. Every time he got too close, it was like a match was lit deep in her core. It was automatic, and stronger each time. Why was that? She should ask Kiba about it. Was it a clan thing? Hinata and Shino had been his teammates for years so they were close, but neither of them could understand Akamaru, yet Sakura could. Was she… becoming part of their clan? Sakura grabbed the bowl of ramen and pulled the top off. She removed the package of seasoning before pouring hot water into the dried noodles. Leaving them on the counter to cook, her mind churned with possible explanations. Was it Kiba’s doing? Some ninjutsu maybe? No, that sounded preposterous, and she liked Kiba; she couldn’t discard that part. She would just have to ask him about it.

Sakura broke her chopsticks, dumped the seasoning package in it, and stirred. She scarfed her measly dinner down and threw the container in the trash. Sakura's eyes were heavy with exhaustion, but she needed to review her medical scrolls. There was a technique she wanted to learn how to use that required much less chakra when healing. She’d be able to be of use as a fighter and a medic much longer if she learned that technique. There was a knock at the door. Sakura wasn’t sure who would visit her at this hour, but she got up from her spot at her kitchen table and went to answer the door. Sakura hoped it was Kiba, and when that’s who stood on the opposite side of the door, she was almost ecstatic. He smiled at her and walked forward. Sakura moved aside to let him in.

“Why are you here Kiba?” Sakura asked, already knowing the answer to the question.

“To see you,” he answered, shrugging off his snow-covered jacket. “To hold you and touch you.”

Sakura melted at those words. She never took Kiba as a romantic type, and he probably wasn’t trying to be, but it was poetic to her. Kiba turned and smiled at her, but it vanished. He sniffed around her living room.

“What is it?” Sakura watched as he moved towards her jacket she had discarded on the floor.

He picked it up and sniffed the left shoulder. “Who touched you?”

Sakura chuckled. “A girl I treated at the hospital. I stopped for some Sunny Tea and she was there. No reason to get jealous.”

Kiba didn’t laugh. He turned and looked at Sakura before dropping the jacket and closing the distance between them. His brown eyes clouded with anger. He placed his clawed hands on her shoulders. 

“What did this person look like?”

His reaction confused Sakura. 

“Why?”

“It’s the same scent from the compound.”

 


	10. X

Sakura blinked in surprise. “You’re telling me that Yui is the one who broke into the house?!”

Kiba nodded, his fist clenching. “It’s the same disgusting scent coming from that fur you found.”

Sakura couldn’t believe it. Yui seemed like such a sweet girl. How did she get that injury she came sought treatment for then? She remembered the brunette agreeing when Sakura asked if she was sparring when it happened. Sakura crossed her arms over her chest in thought. Kiba moved closer to her and placed his hands on her arms.

“What is it Sakura?”

“Hold on,” she said, holding her hand up to pause him.

_Yeah, he caught me off guard. I'll get him back though. I promised myself that._

Sakura’s eyes widened in realization. Yui had been the cat she saw Kiba fighting with the day of their obstacle course date. It explained why she had the bruise on her back. Kiba had knocked the cat into a tree. Sakura remembered that Yui mentioned that she knew him as a child, but the Inuzuka clan had no idea the Neko Clan was here. 

She explained her thought process to Kiba and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t remember anyone named Yui. Describe what she looks like.”

“Well,” Sakura began. “She’s about five foot seven, curly black hair and strange yellow eyes. They’re so bright. And she had tanned skin, but lighter than your family. She also had dimples.”

Kiba scratched his chin. “That sounds like something I’d remember but I have no fucking clue who that is.”

“I have an idea,” Sakura said, snapping her fingers. “I’ll go look in her chart for an address.”

Kiba smirked at her and Sakura felt amazing at knowing she impressed him. It caused a soft blush to rise on her cheeks. Her eyes averted to the floor. “Stop looking at me like that Kiba.”

The male closed the distance between them and used his right hand to tilt her chin up. “I can’t help it. You fucking amaze me. I’m happy that you’re my mate.”

Sakura blinked in confusion. “Your mate?”

Fuck. Kiba cursed himself for spilling that secret. He planned to keep that bit of information from Sakura until they were mates. His heart raced and adrenaline pumped through his veins. How could he tell her without her going ballistic on him? It would be a hit or miss: Sakura would understand or she would lose her shit. The latter was more probable.

Exhaling and running his fingers through his hair, Kiba said, “Here, sit down.”

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. “No, I’m fine standing.”

That was a bad sign. She was glaring at him, left hip cocked as she rocked on it. That long gorgeous hair of hers hung over her toned shoulders and stopped by her hips. Kiba’s eyes raked down her legs and he couldn’t help but lick his lips. 

“Kiba!”

He jolted back into reality. He swung his arms in front of his body, his right hand balled into a fist hitting the open palm of his other hand. “Okay, let me explain. The Inuzuka Clan have someone destined to be their mate. If that person is interested and returns feelings, their body reacts to being around that person. They’ll become aroused around them. When they have sex, the male bites the female and marks her. After that, they are mates for life.”

“So it’s like marriage?!” Sakura questioned in astonishment.

Kiba shifted from foot to foot, not making eye contact. “Yeah.”

“And you knew already that my body has been reacting to you?”

“I did.”

Sakura’s expression remained blank. She didn’t know what to think. At first, she wanted to be furious. Was he playing a part to get her to be his mate, but that made little sense. She knew for a fact that their time together wasn’t fake. Kiba wasn’t capable of being deceptive. Still, being his mate weighed heavy when they'd only been dating a couple of weeks.

“Now before you scream at me,” Kiba began while holding his hands up in surrender. “I like you Sakura, more than anyone in my past. I only want to spend time with you and only you matter. We don't have to have sex until you're ready because I-“

Sakura interrupted Kiba by moving towards him and wrapping her arms around his waist. Kiba looked down in confusion at a muss of pink hair as Sakura laid her head against his chest. He brought his arms up to wrap around her back. What did this mean? Was she okay with being his mate? He didn’t want to push the subject; he was just so relieved that she hadn’t rejected him.

“This relationship is new,” the medic whispered from the safety of his embrace. “The thought of a marriage equivalent so fast is frightening, but I don't want to stop this relationship. Is it possible to have sex without the mating bite?”

Kiba placed his chin on top of her head and held her tighter. “Yeah, it’s possible. It’s hard as hell, but I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”

“Thank you Kiba,” Sakura breathed while threading her fingers through his dark hair and pulling his mouth down to hers.

The spark was immediate for them both, but after a few moments, Sakura pulled away. 

“Remember the mission.”

Kiba gave her that smirk that melted her heart. “Yeah let’s get going.”

Sakura turned, and she squealed when she felt a sharp smack on her ass. Kiba was against her back, his crotch pressing against her ass. He pulled her close to his body before hooking her hair behind her left ear. 

“Your chakra spiked just then,” he murmured, hands sliding against her sides and down to her hips. He ground into her backside. “You like being spanked. I’ll be patient, but I can’t wait to make you mine.”

Sakura’s core throbbed at his words and the deep undertone his voice had taken. He was so damn attractive. She craved tearing his clothes off and let him fuck her right there on the floor. Small hands moved to grab larger once, and she ground her ass in a slow circle against him.

“We can’t do this right now,” she breathed. “We have to stop the Neko Clan.”

Kiba kissed the back of her neck before licking from her collarbone up to the shell of her ear. He pulled away, leaving the horny woman empty, cold, and longing for him. She glared at him before grabbing her coat and shuffling it on.

“You’ll pay for that.”

Soon they left for the hospital. The snowstorm hadn’t let up in the least. In fact, its strength increased. The wind was blowing so hard; it had a high whistle that echoed in their frozen ears. The falling snow pelted them at an angle from the wind. Sakura had gotten them some goggles just in case and it was a good thing they got them. It was difficult to keep their eyes open with such harsh wind and flurries.  They made it to the hospital in less than five minutes. It was lit despite the blurry atmosphere.

The two ninja entered the emergency room double doors. As they hurried through the hallways, Sakura got hellos from some nurses and doctors on the way. She returned the gesture while running through the halls. They turned left after climbing the stairs and made a beeline straight for her office. Sakura pulled out her keys when she stopped at the huge mahogany door. She unlocked it and pushed it open. It had only been a few days since she treated Yui so her chart was still in the pile of the week. Kiba flicked on the light behind her and she sifted through them. It took about five minutes, but finally, Sakura held up the folder.

“I’ve got it!” Sakura opened it and flipped to the demographics section of the chart. “I know where this is. It's the abandoned cabin by the Forest of Death.”

She closed the folder and placed it back in her pile. She turned to face Kiba. “I have a strong feeling that this is a trap. Also, your sister said we shouldn’t act until your mom returns.”

Kiba’s eyes flashed with anger. “I can’t let them get away with hurting my family and friends! I’ll make them pay!”

Sakura smiled.  He would get justice no matter what. She hoped with the two of them and Akamaru, they could thwart whatever plan those bastards through at them. Sakura tightened the glove on her left hand and looked at Kiba with resolve.

“Let’s go.”

Soon they were reaching the double doors leading back into winter’s frigid embrace. The doors were shaking back and forth from the wind. This battle would prove arduous, but Sakura and Kiba were ready. When they got outside, Kiba moved about two hundred yards from the hospital. He leaned back and opened his arms. Sakura was unsure of what he was doing, but suddenly she heard a loud howl emit from him. It rumbled through her being and caused goosebumps to rise on her skin. It was amazing to watch. His eyes were closed as his lungs filled to howl at the full moon once again. This would alert the Neko Clan they were coming, but she couldn’t speak to tell him to stop. His howling mesmerized her.

He turned his head to look at Sakura and noticed that she had her hand over her heart as she watched him. He realized Sakura thought him calling for Akamaru was impressive, but from the wonder in those deep green eyes, he could tell she had never seen something like that before. Kiba smirked and held his hand out to Sakura. She crunched through the snow, hand outstretched to grasp his. Just as their hands touched, Kiba’s ears perked at the sound of Akamaru’s distinctive barks.

The large dog almost blended in with the stark white surroundings, but Sakura could sense him getting closer and closer. It was only a few moments later when the large dog slid to a halt in front of them. She watched as Akamaru barked at Kiba and the male spoke to him in return. She found it a little strange that Kiba didn’t haven’t to bark to communicate. It was like the Inuzuka dogs understood the human language. How amazing. Did someone teach them the English language, but they could only speak in their own tongue?

Kiba tightened his grip on his coat and looked over at Sakura. “Let’s get going!”

The trio flew across the frozen earth so fast their surroundings blurred around them. Sakura remained alert by reaching out to feel for other chakras as they approached the house. She was sure this was a trap. They didn’t know much about the Neko Clan, but they already had the upper hand. Her mind churned as they got closer. She remembered Hana had said the Neko Clan had a certain ability to hide their scent, and they weren’t sure if they were if it was genjutsu. 

Her green orbs narrowed despite the goggles she was wearing. This snowstorm was the worse in decades.  Six inches of snow dropped in the last hour alone. Soon the looming gate and the large trees were visible about half a mile away. The house was dark and uninviting. It looked abandoned and silent. Sakura still could not feel chakra. If there was anyone there, they must have been hiding their presence. The two ninjas and shinobi hound slid to a stop in the snow. Sakura held her fist up, ready for battle.

“Where are you, you fucking feline scum?!” Kiba roared.

His voice echoed in the wind then silence followed. Sakura kept her eyes peels, waiting for anything. She hoped they were far enough away to avoid a close-range attack, but they remained vulnerable out in the open. That meant nothing when they didn’t know if their enemy fought long range or close range… maybe even both. The silent seconds seemed to tick by like minutes. Suddenly Akamaru turned his head to the left and lowered his stance. The big dog snarled before barking. Both Sakura and Kiba turned to see a figure approaching them in the snow. At first, only one animal approached. The relief was short lived when more creatures joined, totaling five enemies. 

“This won't be easy,” Sakura said, leaning against Kiba and pulling chakra into her balled up hands. 

“Yeah, I know, but that’s how I like it!”

Kiba ran forward with Akamaru at his side. Sakura reached her hand out. “No Kiba! You might fall right into their hands!”

Her shouts fell on deaf ears as Kiba performed several fast hand signals. Akamaru turned into a replica of Kiba and they ran fast, crossing each other’s path as they did so. “Fang over Fang!”

A giant whirling tornado headed straight for the cats. They all dispersed just like Sakura thought they would. She realized they were all different types of cats. The two that dodged Kiba were a cheetah-lion team. The other cats were a cougar and an albino tiger. If it weren’t for its black stripes, it would be impossible to see. The cat in the middle jumped high into the air, yellow eyes gazing down as Kiba and Akamaru’s attack landed right underneath, shattering the frozen earth into large boulders. It was a black panther, one that was more majestic than the rest. It landed just as the Inuzuka pair changed directions, then the two of them separated. 

Akamaru returned to his dog form just as Kiba yelled, “Dynamic Marking!”

Akamaru spun in a circle, peeing as he turned. One of the two large cats got urine on its back. The lion dodged the stream and as Akamaru changed directions; he got the cougar. The two skidded to a halt. Kiba made hand signals and created a shadow clone while also transforming Akamaru again. Kiba and the clone hopped onto Akamaru’s back.

“Inuzuka-Style, Human Beast Mixture Transformation, Three-Headed Wolf!”

“That’s a long name,” Sakura mused as she watched.

A cloud of smoke appeared and when it dissipated, there stood a humongous three-headed dog. All of its mouths opened, baring razor-sharp teeth. Its white fur was hard to see with the snow, but those eyes were piercing and cut through the atmosphere. It emitted a fierce and terrifying growl. It watched as the cats came closer, hissing, roaring, and ready for a battle. Sakura acted without hesitation. The big cats focused on the Inuzuka members and forgot about her. Just as she was about to attack the cheetah that was closest to her, it turned to gaze at her before sprinting towards her. Sakura was ready and watched as it leaped into the air. It caught her off guard when the cheetah turned into a human mid-jump, but it only took less than a second for her to regain her focus. She swung a hard right hook, catching the man right in the jaw and sending him skidding across the unforgiving ground.

She her eyes widened just as the lion and tiger also were moving towards her like lightning. Sakura punched the Earth, making it rock and crumble like an earthquake towards the two cats. They jumped from rock to rock, gaining ground on her fast. Sakura ran to meet them, first reaching the tiger. She aimed a strong kick at it, but it dodged and reached for her with its claws. Sakura avoided it with ease. If it was like fighting the actual animals these people were mimicking, she would win. The lion jumped towards her, mighty roar bellowing from it. Sakura threw her elbow backward with all her might and smashed it right in the face. She felt the bones in its face break as it went flying. The tiger tore a hole in the right sleeve of her jacket as she dodged its attack. 

She glanced at the three-headed wolf fighting with the cougar and panther. The sleek black cat was on the middle head, ripping and tearing at it while Kiba’s transformation ripped the cougar to shreds. Blood painted the porcelain canvas and she could see he had ripped out almost all the contents in the cougar’s abdomen. Her eyes widened. She didn’t think he would kill anyone. They deserved to pay for what they did, but seeing Kiba in this unrecognizable form, so vicious and bloodthirsty scared her.

“Kiba!” shouted while leaping away from the tiger. “Don’t!”

The wolf didn’t seem to hear her. The right head caught the panther's neck, causing it to roar in agony. Sakura wasn’t sure what to do. She was now defending herself against the cheetah she had sent flying and the tiger at the same time.

_Kill them all…_

_They hurt your family…._

_They need to pay for what they’ve done_

The large canine howled into the night sky before looking down at his prey, intent on tearing the stupid animal limb from limb. It confused him and took a step back. The big canine whimpered. Sakura turned her gaze at the sound. She gasped when she saw Kala lying in the place of the panther.

“Kiba,” she whimpered. “Why are you hurting me?”

The three-headed dog shook its head and continued whimpering before a cloud appeared. Behind it stood Akamaru and Kiba in their regular forms. 

“What the fuck is this Kala?!” Kiba screamed. ‘You’re an Inuzuka so why are you changing into a cat?!”

Kala stood up, bundled in that same jacket that Yui had on. She had a wicked smile on her face as she brushed the snow from her jacket. It all made sense now. Kala was in fact Yui. She had been the one to destroy the house and kill the puppies. How dare she?! From how Kiba and Hana spoke to her, she had been a family friend. It became clear what Yui meant when she said a guy who she knew from childhood injured her back. Sakura's rage mounted. She grabbed the cheetah and tiger by their fur and repeated smashed their heads together until they were unconscious. She ran towards Yui while gathering chakra in her fist.

“You bitch!” she yelled. “You’re gonna pay!”

When she was about five feet from Yui, she disappeared into a swirl of smoke. Sakura's head whipped around for her target. Something wasn’t right. The snow had taken on an orange hue as it fell. She could no longer see Kiba, Yui, or any of the other big cats. 

“Kiba!” she called. “Where are you?!”

She knew she was in genjutsu. There was no other explanation for the pitch black waving trees and orange snow. She looked up and saw the moon smiling back at her with wide crooked teeth.

_You will help bring down the Inuzuka Clan_

“Like hell!” she spat. “I’m not a traitor like you!”

There was a deep laugh.

_Can you be a traitor if you were never engaged? I played the role necessary to get inside. That is all._

“But why?!” Sakura yelled. “Why would you want to hurt the Inuzuka Clan?! Is it because they destroyed your village?!”

_Yes. Many years have passed, but the Neko Clan have not forgotten the losses we suffered._

Sakura looked up at the sky. “Your people killed Ruka unprovoked! What did you think a mourning village leader would do?!”

_You lie through your teeth. We did not kill Ruka._

It seemed like someone had told the Neko Clan a different story to what happened… or maybe there was a whole different understanding of this. Now was not the time, she had to break the genjutsu before whoever put her in it attacked her. She flared her chakra as high as it would go, feeling the immense surge in power. Sakura flared for what seemed like an eternity and when she opened her eyes; the kunoichi saw Kiba fighting off the other three cats with Akamaru’s help. She ran to them and focused her taijutsu on that piece of shit black panther. 

Kiba’s eyes widened in shock as he dodged a powerful punch from Sakura. He could feel the wind behind how hard she swung. He gazed into her eyes and realized they were blank.

“Sakura!” he yelled. “Snap out of it!”

The kunoichi aimed fast kicks at him. She switched from left leg to right leg after a few hard aimed blows. Kiba caught her last one to the stomach and went flying. The abandoned house stopped his flight. He crashed through the side of the wood paneling weak with decay. He coughed as dust billowed up around him. Kiba winced, sat up, and got to shaky legs. Sakura was already standing in the hole she smashed the wall. Akamaru bit her on her right leg and she reached down, grabbed the canine by the fur on the back of its neck and cracked her knee underneath his chin. Akamaru let out a loud yelp. Kiba jumped to his feet.

“Akamaru!”

The dog didn’t respond. His eyes were closed. Kiba’s heart ached. He didn’t know if he could stop Sakura. It wasn’t because of a physical strength difference. It was she was his woman, but if he didn’t stop her, she would kill him and Akamaru.

Kiba tightened his leaf headband before locking eyes with Sakura. “I’ll stop you no matter what it takes.”

 


	11. XI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost done guys! There is only one chapter left, but this one has the smut you've been waiting for!

Kiba stood firm as Sakura gazed unseeing at him. There wasn’t any way around this. He had to bring her down. If he didn’t, she’d kill him. It looked like the Neko Clan had genjutsu up their sleeve and it must have been too powerful for Sakura to get caught in it. As a Gennin, they knew her for her ability to break genjutsu and her precise chakra control was a big help. He wondered just what she was seeing to make her attack him. The Inuzuka racked his brain on ways to break strong genjutsu. He remembered that you could funnel your chakra into that person to snap them out of it if they couldn’t break it themselves. Kiba knew Sakura wasn’t going to just let him run up and touch her. Not only that, he would need her to hold still for a few seconds while he channeled his chakra into her. He needed Akamaru now than ever, but the large dog was unconscious. A red pool was around his mouth and Kiba’s heart wrenched at the sight. A deep growl emitted from his throat.

“I gotta take you down Sakura.”

With that, he sprinted out of the rotting house. Sakura was hot on his heels as he jumped on top of the house and leaped a few feet away. He turned to see Sakura running at him with her right fist raised. Kiba realized that he was in trouble if he stayed in close range with Sakura. He wasn’t sure what he would do when half of his ability was with Akamaru. Kiba felt weak. He dodged as Sakura threw her powerful right hook. He didn’t have time to recover. She threw hook after hook at him, sometimes throwing violent uppercuts and kicks. Kiba was so impressed. This woman’s physical strength was unimaginable. She had to be stronger than Lady Tsunade by now.

He refocused his attention to the brutal woman in front of him. Sakura threw another right hook and Kiba caught her arm and swung it behind her while yanking it upwards and forcing her to bend over. He held her tight while trying to force his chakra into her body. She didn’t hold still long enough. Sakura flared her chakra, increasing her strength, so she broke free with little effort. She whirled around and punched him right in the face. The bones in his face broke as she sent him skidding across the snow.

He sat up and groaned in agony, one hand cupping his mangled cheek. “Fuck, that hurts!”

It felt like someone shoved a hot iron through his face. He looked over to the far right where he saw Yui smiling at the display before her. That was it. Kiba had to take her out first. His childhood “friend” had never been great at close combat. She was always a distance fighter and excelled with weapons. She didn't even have a dog. Many aspects of the Inuzuka lifestyle she didn't possess. Why hadn’t they noticed these things?

Kiba jumped to his feet and realized that he may not get to Yui with Sakura after him. She was already walking towards him. Kiba did a few hand signs and two shadow clones appeared next to him. The shadow clone and Kiba ran towards Sakura and attacked her with all their strength. Yui watched through yellow orbs at the sight in front of her. Everything was going as planned. Those disgusting Inuzuka would pay for slaughtering their village unprovoked. What kind of cold and heartless people did that to children, the elderly, and pregnant women? The thought made bile rise in her throat. Too bad Kiba’s bitch mom wasn’t there. She would be next to go. Yui noticed someone was behind her a little too late. She whirled around and got punched square in the jaw. It knocked her to the ground and got yanked up by her jacket and pressure on her waist. Kiba was sitting on top of her. He punched her over and over.

“You’re going to pay for this!”

Crack after hard crack echoed in the night. His merciless attack swelled Yui’s right eye shut and her face felt like an elephant stomped on it. She had to do something quick or everything would end. She raised her hands to perform hand signals, but Kiba bent her right arm at the elbow at an unnatural angle until her arm snapped. Yui screamed in agony. Kiba smiled at her shrieks and just at that moment, he heard the poof of the shadow clones losing their battle with Sakura. He turned his gaze to her and saw that her jacket had tears in it. She had a scratch that was bleeding on her left cheek and her hair was long and flowing in the wind.

She was beautiful despite the situation they were in. Kiba's pride withered when he realized without Akamaru, Sakura was by far the stronger one. However, he was proud to call her his woman. He looked down at Yui who had crystal tears pouring down her face.

“Undo the genjutsu now!” he commanded.

“No!” she shrieked. “I’ll die before I’ll let you win!”

“Is that a promise?” he growled. “I’ll grant that wish!”

He squeezed where the break was and listened to her shrieks. Before, he would have jumped in to save her if he witnessed something like this happening to her, but now, after all she had done, there was nothing but anger and hatred towards her. How could she kill innocent puppies? Only a heartless psychopath could do that.

“Kiba!”

He looked up to see the familiar faces of Hana and… his mom? “Ma, you’re back!”

“You know it!” she said while punching one fist into the other. “Now get off that girl! I’ve got somethin’ to tell ya!”

“But ma!” he shouted. “She’s the one who killed the puppies!”

“ _I know that!”_ she bellowed. “Now move before I strangle ya!”

Kiba did what his mother asked. Yui didn’t move. She clutched her broken arm and curled up into a ball. Her yellow eyes looked over at Sakura. “Big mistake!”

Her eyes glowed and Sakura launched herself at Hana. Kiba’s older sister dodged Sakura just as the Haimaru Brothers, the three companions she had, ripped at Sakura’s clothes. One grabbed her by her hood, the other two each grabbed a leg, pulling her to the ground. Kuromaru, his mother’s canine, grabbed Sakura’s right sleeve. Through his teeth, he said, “Get her now Tsume!”

The older woman jumped on top of the thrashing medic. Hana also helped pin Sakura to the ground.  “Hold her still boys while I funnel my chakra into her!”

Sakura was putting up a good fight and flung the dog on her right foot off with a powerful kick. Tsume placed her hands on Sakura chest and forced her chakra through her chakra network with no result at first. Tsume knew just how powerful the Neko Clan’s abilities were. She pushed a larger volume of chakra into her body while everyone else trying to hold her down. After a few minutes of struggle, Sakura’s eyes returned to normal, and she blinked.

“What’s going on?” she asked. “Where are the cats?”

“They trapped you in genjutsu,” Hana explained as they all got off her.

“It’s not genjutsu!” Yui wheezed.  “It’s a special Kekkei Genkai more like mind control than genjutsu although you can make the victim see what you want them to.”

Kiba looked over at her. “Shut the fuck up!”

It didn’t come out smooth because of his swollen cheek. Sakura ran over to him. “What happened?”

“You decked me in the face,” he answered.

She held her hand up to heal Kiba’s face. He leaned into her hand as he felt the bones mending underneath his skin. With her healing abilities, he could move his face with no pain and the swelling had gone down. Tsume walked over to Yui who tried to scoot away.

“Come here, ya brat!” She yanked her up by her hair and stood her on her feet. “Gather round! I got something to tell you.”

Sakura looked around when she noticed Akamaru was missing. 

“Where is Akamaru?”

Kiba’s jaw ticked. “You were under her control and…”

“Oh, no!”

Sakura searched for Akamaru and finding him lying in a pool of blood. She kneeled down and next to the dog. Kiba ran up behind her. He could see her shoulders shaking as she pulled the dog’s head into her lap. She reached for a few items on the ground next to her which he realized where Akamaru’s teeth. Kiba could hear her crying as she healed the injuries she had caused.

“I’m so sorry Akamaru,” she said through hitched breaths.

She mended the big canine’s mouth so his teeth would stay in place. Kiba watched in amazement. Yes, his best friend’s painful injury upset him, but Sakura’s reaction surprised him. He knew for sure she was his mate but seeing just how attached she had become to their canines was amazing. Kiba placed a hand on her shoulder just as Akamaru opened his eyes. He gave Sakura’s hand a weak lick, and she rubbed the back of his ears.

“Can you stand?” she asked him.

Akamaru got to his feet and wagged his tail. He barked his response and Sakura stood as well with a smile on her face. She hugged the big canine before kissing him on the top of his head. Kiba looked on but noticed that his mother had her arms crossed over her chest. They’d better move before they pissed her off. Kiba moved forward and grasped Sakura’s hand to pull her back to where the others were.

Tsume looked at Sakura with a bright smile. “So, you’re my boy’s mate huh?! Welcome to the family kiddo!”

The older woman reached forward, grabbed Sakura by her wrist, and yanked her into a bear hug. Sakura’s wind burned cheeks brightened further. “Um… I-”

“ _Ma!”_

Hana giggled. “You’d better stop mom. You know he turns into a whining four-year-old when you embarrass him.”

“Shut up Hana!”

Tsume let Sakura go but kept her arm wrapped around her shoulder. “Look, the story between our clans is a lie”

Kiba, Sakura, and Yui’s expression all changed. Tsume held a hand up to stop them from all interrupting with questions. “During this last mission, we were near the Land of Whirlpools. I traveled back to where our old lands were. It was barren of people. Nothing but wildlife was there. Even though it’s been decades since the Inuzuka and Neko Clan lived there, I could still pick up scents both in different areas.”

“They marked Ruka’s grave with a sash she used to wear. I don’t know how it got missed.”

“How  _what_ was missed?!” Kiba demanded.

“Who are you yelling at boy?!” Tsume shouted and Kiba cringed in response. “There was another scent on her scarf. It was so minute I could see why only someone like me could detect it. I’ve smelled it only a few times in my life since they stay away from most people, but it was the Hebi Clan. I believe they set the Neko Clan and Inuzuka against each other for the land.  Hebi Clan ninjas then surrounded me, proving the theory.”

Tsume turned her sharp eyes on Sakura. “I want you to heal Yui.”

Sakura gazed at the other woman before stepping forward and holding her hands to Yui’s broken arm first. Green eyes met a single yellow due to Yui's swollen one. “Do you understand what she said?”

“It can’t be,” she whispered. “What did the Hebi Clan gain from throwing our families into war?”

“They wanted the land and its riches,” Tsume explained. “Our land had millions of Ryo in oil. I don’t think either of our clans knew about its existence. Now they have it, and our clans have hated each other for no reason. They have caused us many casualties.”

Sakura reached up to heal Yui’s face and the other woman grasped her hand. “Can you please heal my friends too?”

“I can try,” Sakura said. She looked over at the cougar. “I don’t know if that one is still alive with such severe injuries.”

Yui nodded as she opened her eye. She turned her gaze to Tsume. “Let’s kill the Hebi Clan.”

“Hell yeah!” Kiba exclaimed. “They’ll pay for everything they’ve done to our family.”

Tsume’s face turned dark. “Are you two idiots?! Those that are in the Hebi Clan now may try to brag about what happened, but it sure as hell wasn’t them. They're long dead!”

“That’s right,” Hana added. “We will stop the violence.”

Sakura dropped her hands from Yui’s face and walked to the four cats that had been their enemies not even ten minutes ago.

* * *

Sakura healed Yui’s other clan members, who were her brothers and one her fiancé. The cougar did not make it. He had been her youngest brother. She mourned their loss but told Kiba that she forgave him. This had all happened on false information and she blamed herself for allowing him to come. He was only fifteen years old, and she hadn’t wanted him to be on such a dangerous mission, but he insisted. He looked an awful lot like her. His dark curly hair was shorter, but still uncanny and his facial structure was like hers. They had wrapped him up in blankets and held a small ceremony for him, burying him on the Inuzuka land.

Yui and her brothers stayed at the Inuzuka compound that night, but they left earlier that morning. It was time for them to return to their clan and inform them of the news. They hoped the peace between the two clans was genuine and would remain. Sakura stood wrapped in Kiba’s arms as the bid their former rivals farewell. The warmth of his body helped with the chilly night air. He turned the smaller woman around, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders while his arm snuck around her waist. She gazed into deep cinnamon pools and realized she was head over heels for this guy. 

Clawed fingers ran along the side of her jaw before tipping her chin upwards so her lips could meet his. One had reached up to tangle in her long pink locks as his tongue ran along hers. Sakura pressed her body close to Kiba’s, not feeling close enough. they had to break away for air, but they stood frozen in their embrace, each unable to drop the other’s gaze.

“Woohoo!” Tsume shouted. “When can I have grandkids running around?! I’m getting up there and don’t want to be an ancient grandma!”

Both of their faces turned deep shades of red. “ _Ma!_ ”

Sakura giggled before turning her attention back to Kiba. “I’m going to go home and take a shower. Maybe make some hot chocolate.”

“I’ll be right over as soon as I clean up too,” Kiba said while kissing her forehead.

Sakura nodded and headed home like a giddy schoolgirl. At first, she wasn’t sure what the animalistic male’s intentions were. She was sure his rut gave him the courage to approach her. Despite that, it seemed he made the right choice. These last few weeks had been a lot of fun and she was glad that boisterous male was hers. Sakura had enough of the cold and rushed home. She welcomed the warm embrace of her empty home. It was nice to regain sensation in her fingers after such a long time of numbness.

The pinkette shed her ripped jacket at the front door and her boots and padded towards her room. Sakura had to stop herself from just flopping in her bed. It was calling her name and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to just curl up underneath her thick blankets. Sakura sighed, aware that she needed to shower first. She felt grimy like she always did after a battle. Despite the frigid environment when they were fighting, she had grown sweaty from exertion while fighting, and now that the battle ended, Sakura's body shivered hard. The medic opened her drawer, grabbed fresh underwear, black sweatpants, and a tank top. She pushed her bathroom door open and flicked on the light before placing her clothes down on the counter. Sakura reached into the shower and turned on the water. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, not wanting to undress until the water was nice and warm. Sleep was trying to overtake her, but she knew Kiba was on the way.

Sakura reached into the shower and enjoyed the comforting stream over her hand. She undressed and jumped in, dunking her head under the stream first. Reaching for the hanger underneath the shower, she grabbed her jug of shampoo. Washing her hair was an enormous task. She went through a bottle almost every time she washed it and since her hair got oily if she didn’t. The woman sighed as she began her task at hand. This would take at least the next ten minutes to lather and rinse out.

She tried to make quick work of it and lathered up her body. It was then she heard her front door open. Did she forget to lock it? Was that Kiba walking into her house? She hoped so because if it wasn’t, whoever it was would get an earful when she got out. She tried to rinse her body so she could greet him, but she watched through the white curtains in surprise as the bathroom door swung open. Her vision was skewed, but she could see he wasn’t wearing a shirt and hand on simple sweatpants. She could see the bulge of his cock and felt instant throbbing of her body responding to him. She tried to rinse her breasts of soap, but her nipples now sensitive and a spark rocketed through her when her loofah brushed over them.

Suddenly, the shower curtain was being thrown back and Sakura covered her chest and placed one arm in front of the other. “What are you doing?!”

Kiba hooked his fingers into the sides of his pants and slid them down. Sakura’s eyes glued to his caramel form like a magnet. He was so exotic and gorgeous. Green eyes curiosity watched as he stopped a little over where his pubic hair would have been. She reached over as if on autopilot and grasped his member through his pants. Very impressive and at that moment, she wanted him to pound her into her mattress. He let out a grunt, and she retreated to the shower. Kiba was quick to follow her after letting his sweats pool on the floor. Their eyes met and Kiba advanced, pressing Sakura against the back wall of the shower. Nimble fingers grasped her wrist and moved them over her head where he pinned them. His chest connected with hers while his right knee parted her legs and pressed against her core. She was getting wet despite the surrounding water.

“Sakura,” he whispered, her name rolling off his tongue.

He dropped his head so their mouths clashed. Sakura’s arm snaked around his shoulder as he ground his thigh against her womanhood. She released a soft moaned into his mouth. The Inuzuka released her lips and moved down to her neck. His sharp canines grazed against his pulse and he had to fight the urge to mark her. Her skin was so soft and supple. He inhaled the scent of the lavender body wash she had used, but still detected her natural scent. So fresh and crisp.

Kiba pulled Sakura from the wall and leaned against it himself. He turned her around so her toned bottom pressed against him. He licked the shell of her ear as she hooked her hands back around his neck. Kiba brushed his hands down her sides so slow, it was like torture, ghosting over the swell of her breasts before running them over her flat stomach and down her muscled thighs. She opened her legs further for him and ground into him. He growled and held her still before continuing the slow dance of his hands. Each time he came to her breasts, he lingered longer.

“Stop with the games Kiba,” she commanded.

Sakura grasped his hands and placed them over the supple skin of her breasts as Kiba smiled into her hair. He left feathery touches along her nipples before rolling them between his fingers. He could hear her breaths coming in shallow gasps from his touch. Suddenly the water got a little cooler. Within seconds it was ice cold. They both shrieked and jumped out of the tub. Sakura scrambled to turn it off and smiled over at Kiba while squeezing her long hair in the sink and piling it on top of her head. Her face was pink from their encounter. By the end, she would be a writhing mess.

Kiba grabbed a towel and walked to Sakura. He dried her off, starting with her neck and shoulders. He dried each individual arm before moving to her back and then to her chest. The dog nin squeezed her full breasts before continuing down her stomach. He walked in front of her and bent down to dry her legs. He propped her right leg on his thigh and inched up calf to her thigh. The scent of Sakura's arousal intoxicated him. He gazed at his woman who returned his stare with a lust-filled expression. She shaved except for a little pink landing strip. Kiba wanted nothing more than to part those beautiful lips. He dropped the towel, forgetting about her other leg and reached around to grasp her ass and pulled her closer. He finally would taste her, all of her and his dick twitched with anticipation. Sakura’s hands tangled in his dark hair and she threw her head back.

“Kiba!”

He loved the way his name sounded coming from her as he sucked and licked every inch of her womanhood. Kiba hooked her leg over his should and gripped her hips while sucking on her clit. He alternated between sucking and licking her, his expert tongue not missing a single spot. Sakura jumped each time he ran the flat of his tongue upward, and he repeated the motion until her leg was shaking. She cried out at his sinful administrations. He stopped for a second to suck his pointer finger before latching onto her again and sinking it into her depths. She was so fucking wet. He added a second finger and angled them to hit that sweet spot. Her walls tightened around his fingers.

“Kiba!” she sobbed. “I’m gonna come!”

He moved his mouth faster and his fingers harder inside her. Sakura’s moans grew louder as she pulled on Kiba’s hair and ground herself against his face. Her orgasm teetered on the horizon until she reached her peak. Her legs grew weak as her orgasm washed over her and she panted hard as she put her leg down. Kiba stood while licking his mouth and grasped her chin before kissing her. Her flavor coated his lips and tongue as they kissed again. When they broke for air, Sakura grasped Kiba by the hand and pulled him towards her room. As she walked, his eyes stand glued on her ass, watching it jiggle as she walked. He didn’t fight the urge to smack it and gave her a sound swat on her right cheek. Sakura looked back at him with a coy smile. It was clear the gods made this woman for him.

The pinkette pulled the covers back and got in bed. Kiba followed eagerly and scaled her perfect body when she laid on her back. He was a little surprised when she forced him to roll over and got on top. Her green eyes were mischievous and her pink lips somewhat swollen from kissing. She inched downwards, kissing his neck and nipping it. Open mouth kisses moved over his chest, only pausing to flick her tongue over his nipple. He squirmed under her administrations and let out a deep sigh. Sakura continued to kiss her way down until she reached his hips. His cock was only inches away, and the woman looked up to lock eyes with Kiba right as she lowered her head onto his member.

“Fuck!” he hissed.

Sakura’s mouth was so warm and velvety. She sucked on the tip while rolling his sac in her hand. Her mouth enveloped him over and over in a tortuous, slow motion. He watched as each time; she took more of him into his mouth until she had swallowed the entire length. Kiba couldn’t believe his luck to have such a freak as his future mate… if she would have him. Sakura released his cock and pushed it against his stomach so she would have access to his balls. She sucked on each one then swirled her tongue between them. Kiba could feel his orgasm building and it embarrassed him that she had got him there so fast. He knew it meant she had talent. That was awesome, but he couldn’t come before the final finale.

Kiba gripped the sides of Sakura’s face and pulled her up to kiss him again. Her body was flush against his, her heart fluttering against his chest. Kiba rolled her onto her back and propped himself up on his elbow and licked his fingers once again. He realized the moment he touched her dripping heat that she didn’t need lube. His fingers slide inside her like butter and he continued that torturous “come here” motion he had done to her in the bathroom. Her hips rocked into his hand; her moans were like music and confidence to his ears. Sakura's small, but powerful hands were clenching the pink sheets as hit her G spot.

“Don’t stop!”

He did and her face contorted into confusion. “I just said-”

Kiba didn’t give her a chance to answer. He flipped her onto all fours, got behind her, and pushed himself inside her to the hilt. She screamed underneath him as Kiba filled her and that egged him on. Kiba slammed into her again, hitting different angles with each thrust. The sound of flesh slapping together echoed along with Sakura’s cries of passion. Sakura laid her chest flat on the bed as Kiba kept up the pace. His fingers dug into her hips as he pulled her back to meet his every thrust. Kiba’s orgasm was building once again, and he reached underneath Sakura to pinch her clit. He could feel her orgasm wash over her from the inside as her muscles squeezed him, causing him to lose control. He pulled out of her and spilled his seed on her back.

“Gross!” she panted.

“I don’t know if you’re on birth control,” Kiba argued. “We don’t need a pup!”

“You could have just asked!” she snapped.

“In the middle of an orgasm?” Kiba exclaimed. “You’re nuts!”

Sakura tried to stand, but her legs were like Jell-O. Kiba smirked and smacked her on the rump.

“Let’s go take another shower.”

 


	12. XII

Sakura sniffed the air and she couldn’t believe the delicious scents that wafted from her kitchen. Sakura enjoyed that her mate had ample experience in the kitchen. He sure didn’t look like it on the outside. Sakura smiled at the word “mate”. They had been together for over a year now and when they hit a year that was when Kiba marked her. That was the most intense sexual pleasure she had ever experienced. Now she wanted him to bite her every time they had sex. She couldn’t get enough of him. She reached up and stroked the right side of her neck. When she gazed in the mirror, there was a small tattoo there. It said “Kiba” in ancient letters of the Inuzuka clan. On his neck was her name. At first, she didn’t know how she felt about having his name on her body, but she didn’t care now. That brash and irritating man was a huge part of her life. 

Sakura’s eyes looked at where she heard barking. Kiyomi bounded up to her and sat. She was over ten times bigger than she was when Sakura first held her. A Konoha headband was around her neck and she wagged her tail back and forth against the floor.

“Kiba’s cooking?” she asked Sakura.

“He is,” Sakura answered. “Let's see what he's making.”

That was a new ability. She now could understand Akamaru and Kiyomi once she learned how to speak. She brushed her hand over the all-white dog’s head and entered the kitchen. Her mate was shirtless and his sweats low on his hips. Sakura swore he did that just to make her drool over him. Her eyes trailed over his caramel skin, muscled back, and arms. He was drop-dead gorgeous. Kiba looked over his shoulder and gave her that fanged smirk she had gotten used to.

“Ya hungry?”

Kiyomi barked for Sakura’s answer. She smiled down at her companion. “What she said.”

Kiba returned to the kitchen and moved a large pot to the sink, pouring the water down the drain. Steam billowed upwards and Kiba stood back to avoid burning his face. He placed the cooked noodles on the back burner and turned off the stove. He turned the sauce down low and just as he did that, the oven beeped, letting them know the bread was ready. Kiba grasped an oven mitt off the counter and removed the scalding pan. He placed it on the counter next to the stove, far enough back so it wouldn’t fall off. 

Sakura never tried this dish before. They called it spaghetti, and he made garlic bread with it. From the rich and tangy scent she was inhaling, Sakura didn’t doubt she would enjoy this meal. The medic went behind Kiba, wrapped an arm around his waist, and placed her face between his shoulder blades. The taller male turned around so he could embrace her. He stroked her long pink hair as he inhaled that crisp berry scent. It couldn’t believe how far he and Sakura had come. Not only that but his family. They no longer had enemies. Yui had even come back to visit. She and the rest of the Neko Clan had taken revenge on the Hebi clan and wiped out every single one except for the children who were not old enough to remember anything. They got adopted into the Neko Clan. Yui had brought a basket of blackberries from their old lands for them. They were the sweetest berries any of them had ever eaten. Everyone had forgiven what happened except for Tamako. She growled and tried to attack Yui any time she got close. Yui understood why.

Kiba kissed the top of Sakura’s head. They had enveloped the fireball into his family as one of their own. He never experienced this kind of love until now. He would always protect her and their family, even more so when they had pups. That would be a long way off due to Sakura’s wants to travel and continue being a field medic. 

Kiba squeezed his woman before releasing her and moving to fix their plates. He held off on making plates for Akamaru and his daughter because of how hot it was. He placed steaming platters on the table and they sat across from each other. They entwined one of their hands as they ate. When Sakura took her first bite of the spaghetti, her eyes widened in surprise. The smells that were wafting around the kitchen while he was cooking did not give it justice at all. The sauce was so tangy and delicious with ground beef pieces adding flavor while being wrapped around the noodles. She could taste the garlic and bay leaf he had used, and she closed her eyes to enjoy it. Sakura hadn’t even given the garlic bread a try yet. 

Kiba was breaking off a piece of garlic bread for Akamaru and that raised a question. “Isn’t garlic toxic to dogs?”

Kiba chuckled. “To regular dogs yes. Not to Inuzuka. They can have all of ‘toxic’ foods like chocolate, grapes and stuff like that.”

“Huh,” Sakura mused after chewing on the spaghetti she had just slurped up. “You guys never cease to amaze me.”

“That’s right,” Kiyomi barked. “We’re awesome! Can I have some Sakura?”

Sakura shook her head with adoration at her companion. Food was the key to Kiyomi’s heart. You couldn't tease or persuade Akamaru with food, but the all-white young canine fell for it. Sakura stood to her feet and adjusted her gray tank top and headed back towards the stove.  She picked up Kiyomi’s bowl and put spaghetti in it and a piece of garlic bread. It was like having other people live with them because Inuzuka dogs did not eat dog food. It was insulting to offer them dog food or any dog treats so she had to get used to treating them with more sophistication than a regular dog. 

The pinkette walked to the table just as Kiba fixed Akamaru a bowl. She placed Kiyomi’s down next to her, and she wolfed it down. Sakura frowned. “Slow down Kiyomi. If you throw that up, you’re not getting any more!”

Her ears drooped, and she whimpered. “I get so excited.”

Sakura brushed her hand across the top of her head before scratching underneath her chin. “I know, but you can’t eat so fast you puke. That defeats the whole purpose.”

Kiyomi ate her food again, this time licking it first before taking slower bites. Sakura turned her attention back on the handsome man in front of her. She smiled at him and he winked, making her blush even more. After dinner, Sakura cleaned the kitchen while Kiba fixed himself a cup of sake.

“You want one?” he asked over his shoulder.

“Gross,” Sakura said scowling while putting the last of the pots and pans on the drying rake. “Sake is terrible.”

“Don’t be such a girl!” he chided.

Sakura wiped her hands on a drying cloth before turning and facing her mate. “What is wrong with being a girl?”

Kiba’s eyes shot open. “Wait, you know I didn’t mean it like that!”

“Then how did you mean it?!” she shouted.

“You’re so goddamn irritating!” he snapped before stalking towards her.

Sakura backed up until the lower portion of her back pressed against the countertop. Kiba placed one hand on each of her sides before pulling her close to him and lowering his mouth to hers. At first, she bit his bottom lip. It turned him on even more. He grasped her legs and hoisted her onto the counter as they made out. Kiba wanted nothing more than to sink himself into that sweet pussy he could detect was already growing aroused for him.

“Hey, you guys are worse than dogs!”

They released each other. Kiba shot him a glare. “I’m busy!”

“I see that.” Akamaru cocked his head to the side. “Did you forget your ma wanted you and Sakura to come over for blackberry pie?”

Kiba gulped. “I forgot. You’re the best for reminding me.”

Sakura jumped down from the counter let out a deep breath. “We better get ready. It’s already six thirty, and we told her we would be there by seven.”

“Shit.” Kiba rushed towards the bedroom. “Don’t take forever Sakura!” he shouted over his shoulder.

Sakura placed a hand on her hip. “He is the one that takes the longest to get ready.”

Akamaru shook his head. “He’s your mate.”

Sakura laughed at that and followed a frantic Kiba to their bedroom. The two of them lived together Sakura’s home. Tsume had been trying to convince them to move into the compound, but Sakura wasn’t ready to yet. They had already realized that would be a constant thing with how nosy Tsume was. Still, the older woman loved them even if she was brash. She and Sakura had sat down and talked a little over a year after she and Kiba had been together.

The Inuzuka leader had wondered what Sakura’s family thought about her being with a clan member since Sakura was not part of a clan. That was when Sakura revealed that her parents had both passed when she was younger. Her mother died from breast cancer and that was what fueled her to better her medical skills. Her father died in a construction accident. Sakura had no siblings, both her parents were only children, and she had never met her grandparents since they lived in different countries. She had only seen pictures. It was then that Tsume hugged Sakura tight. It wasn’t unusual for her to do that, but Tsume gave the young woman a serious look and brushed her pink locks behind Sakura’s left ear with a clawed hand. 

“You’re my daughter now, ya hear me?”

That had touched Sakura. She had never seen Tsume act so… calm and sensitive and she knew Tsume meant what she said. When she cried, Tsume grasped the front of her shirt and pulled her close.

“What the hell are ya cryin’ for?! This is a happy moment girl! Brighten up!”

Brighten up she did after getting herself under control. Ever since then, Sakura felt as if she'd known the Inuzuka Clan all her life. She and Hana often traded medical knowledge because strangely enough, some methods worked for dogs and vice versa. It was nice to expand her medical knowledge to service animals.

Sakura entered their bedroom and knew Kiba was in the bathroom. She went to the closet and pulled out a purple tie around shirt that Ino bought her for her last birthday. Ino took it very well when it came out she and Kiba were dating. When Sakura asked Ino if she harbored feelings for Kiba, she laughed… laughed so hard she almost choked on her drink. When she composed herself, the blonde explained that she and Kiba had nothing between them. They had sex with no strings attached. That was also when Ino admitted that she and Shikamaru were dating. 

Next Sakura shimmied jean shorts up her legs. It was the middle of the summer and the sun was still high in the sky despite that it was almost seven. She sat on her bed, listening to it creak as she pulled on one sandal at a time. Standing up, Sakura joined her mate in the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair. When she got that, Kiba was brushing his own teeth. He finished dressing by the time she entered, he spit and rinsed out his mouth before turning to her. 

Kiba pulled her in front of him and to the sink. “I’ll brush your hair while you brush your teeth.”

He reached for the blue brush and ran it through Sakura’s waist length hair. Silky bubblegum colored locks slid through the brush and he used his fingers rake through her tresses. This was one of his favorite things about his woman. He loved her hair and its length. It framed her so well and made her even more attractive. He also loved wrapping it around both his hands when he was slamming into her from behind.

“What are you thinking about?” Sakura asked after she spat the foam from her mouth. She ground her ass against his forming erection. “I’ve got a good idea.”

“If it wasn’t my ma waiting on us, I’d fuck you right here on this bathroom floor,” he whispered in her ear.

His hand wandered down to grab her ass. Sakura shifted her weight to one leg and looked over her shoulder after she rinsed off her toothbrush and put it back. “Like you did last week?”

Kiba reached his left arm up to wrap around her neck. He kissed her temple and met her eyes in the mirror. “Just like that.”

Sakura turned around and kissed Kiba again. Kiba was two seconds from hoisting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist when he heard Akamaru barking again and groaned. Akamaru sure was a cock block, but it was a good thing because his mother wouldn’t hesitate to storm up to the house, kick in the door, and demand to know why they didn't show. “We were making love” was not an acceptable answer.

Kiba hung his head as Sakura giggled and grabbed his hand. “Let’s get going.”

The couple and their canines headed towards the Inuzuka compound. Kiyomi wasn’t big enough to ride yet, but she was getting there. She was the size of a Bullmastiff and as tall as a Great Dane already. Sakura knew she would end up as big as her father. The sun was beaming through the trees, but the atmosphere wasn’t scalding due to it being the end of the day. The air remained sticky due to high humidity levels. It might even storm later that night. Sakura could see dark clouds rolling in from the east. She looked at Kiba who made a “v” with his fingers, held it up to his mouth, and flicked his tongue out at her.  God, he was so sexual, but Sakura loved it. Kiba was a monster in bed and was very experimental so their sex life never got boring. She shook her head to rid herself of those raunchy thoughts. It made it harder for them to keep their hands off each other. 

The trees separated to reveal the Inuzuka Clan’s home. They made their way to Kiba’s mom’s house, and they entered. “We’re here ma!”

“Good!” she bellowed from the kitchen. “Pie is almost done cooling!”

Tsume used the berries that Yui brought them to make the pie. There was such an abundance, she froze some for later. Sakura sniffed, enjoying her newest ability to detect scents. Kiba taught her how to channel chakra to her nose to enhance her sense of smell. In return, Sakura taught him the beginnings of medical ninjutsu and how to heal small wounds. Because he already had great chakra control, he caught on. It was amazing how much they complimented one another and brought each other up. Tamako and the other puppies came to greet them. They were Kiyomi's size. Sakura greeted them all with pets and kisses before going into the kitchen and sitting down at the table. Hana was pulling out plates and putting them in front of each person. 

“It smells amazing Tsume,” Sakura commented.

“Hey!” She whipped around, startling Sakura. “That’s ma to you.”

“Ma…” Sakura let the word roll off her tongue. It felt so natural. She had grown fond of the abrasive woman, but she understood what this meant. She and Kiba were together. The mark on her neck was proof enough. 

“Sounds good.” Tsume grinned.

She placed a piece in front of each of the Inuzuka family and they chatted with each other while they enjoyed sweet morsels from the pie. Sakura didn’t know if it was because of her enhanced nose or if it was just Tsume’s baking abilities, but it was the best pie she ever bit into. Japanese fruit pie was her favorite, but not anymore.

“Tsume y-.” Sakura corrected herself when Kiba’s mom gave her a glare. “Ma, give me this recipe. It's delicious!”

“I did a damn good job didn’t I?!” Tsume gloated. “If you’re a good girl, I may give it to you as a Christmas present.”

They all laughed together and continued eating their pie. Sakura noticed Kiyomi had pie all over her face. White fur was now a nice shade of purple around her mouth. Sakura shook her head. 

“You are such a messy eater!” she chided.

Kiyomi barked in response. “So are you! Look at your shirt.”

Green orbs dropped to her beautiful shirt, and it saddened her to see she did, in fact, have a smudge on it from the pie. “Aw damn it.”

Kiba put his arm around Sakura’s shoulder and pulled her to him. “I still like your shirt even if you miss your mouth from time to time.”

“Shut up!” she exclaimed while punching him in his side. 

Tsume took in the sight before her. This pink headed girl was a part of the family. Kiba was lucky to find his mate in his own village. Many Inuzuka clan members, if their fated mate was not a part of the clan, they had to find them or end up being lonely. Sometimes they would marry anyway, but that almost never worked out. It was time to make sure Sakura understood that she was a part of this clan now whether she liked it or not.

She stood up and placed her hand on Sakura’s chin, studying her features. “Do you understand what’s happening Sakura. You’re a part of the Inuzuka Clan.”

Sakura nodded with a gentle smile on her face. “I’m grateful that you guys have accepted me.”

“We don’t have a choice!” Tsume bellowed heartily, slapping her knee with her other hand. She locked eyes with Sakura. “It’s time for you to receive the Inuzuka markings.”

Sakura’s eyes widened. She never thought about having to wear the markings of her new family’s clan. She tried to picture how her face would look with those signature triangles on each of her cheeks. Sakura thought it would complement her well along with the color of her eyes and abstract tint of her hair. She would look, awesome. The question was did they have to tattoo it on or were they drawn on? She doubted the latter since she had never seen Kiba’s fade after a shower or a dip in a lake. The seriousness was dawning on her. It was like she and Kiba were married. Even if that wasn’t the term used, it was like that, but instead of a ring, she was getting clan markings. 

“How do you feel about that Sakura?” Hana asked, crossing her legs and waited for her “sister’s” answer.

Tsume released her chin and placed her hands on her hips. Sakura glimpsed around the room at everyone's faces, even the canines. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “I’m ready.”

Tsume jumped in the air, spiky hair shifting as she did so. “All right! Let’s go find the village elders!”

* * *

Tsume had brought Sakura before the village elders and she needed to return the next day. They informed her nothing to eat or drink at least eight hours before they would give her the clan markings. The way they performed it was the village elder used her chakra to tattoo the skin. It differed from regular chakra and could sometimes make the person getting the marking sick. Now she sat, legs folded underneath her body, locking eyes with a woman in her nineties. Those born into the Inuzuka Clan have them from birth. The Village Elder, named Natti, gave Sakura a gentle smile. Natti's wrinkled skin showed the wear and tear of life. Her dark eyes held years of wisdom, and her thin, white hair slung over her shoulders, almost touching her lap. The passing years turned her canine's fur gray and patches of it had fallen out. He had his back right leg amputated and his front legs shook while he sat. Sakura wondered if the canines lived as long as humans.

She reached out a gnarled hand to run her fingers through Sakura’s locks. “You have abstract and beautiful features. It was inevitable for Kiba-kun to fall for you.” Her gentle hands moved to grip the sides of Sakura’s head. “I wish you the knowledge and the drive to increase it.” Natti placed a hand on her forehead next. “I wish you health and vitality.” She moved to above Sakura’s chest. “I wish you the courage and the heart to fight for what you believe in.” The Elder moved down to her abdomen. “And I wish you fertility to bring new lives into this clan.”

Children…

That word rolled around in Sakura’s brain. She loved children and when they settled down, they would make beautiful little ones to run around with the other pups. The other clan members clap and whistled their approval. Sakura’s cheeks tinted and she looked over at Kiba. He grasped her right hand and placed it on his lap. She smiled at him and he returned it. Sakura wanted to kiss him. She returned her attention to Natti when she felt her cold fingertips against her cheeks.  Sakura closed her eyes as she felt the sharp stinging sensation of Natti’s unique chakra penetrating her skin. She squeezed Kiba’s hand and continued to breathe. After about thirty minutes, the gentle buzzing of Natti’s chakra stopped. Sakura could feel a soreness in her cheeks and a burning sensation so she reached up and healed THEM. Sakura turned to her mate.

“What do you think?”

His mouth opened, but he couldn't speak. He closed it again like a doofus. Those deep purple markings fit her as if she had always been a part of the Inuzuka Clan. Who would have thought last year’s season of lust would bring him a loving mate? He had a beautiful woman to spend his days with. Who knew what their future would hold and as they stood, hand in hand, their clan shouting their excitement, Kiba locked eyes with Sakura.

“I guess you’re stuck with me huh?” he whispered, squeezing her hand.

Sakura leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I think I’m okay with that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for rolling with me on this story! I probably could have dragged it out longer; however, this was originally written at a time when I was trying to get back into the swing of writing fanfiction and wasn't meant to be a drawn out story. Please let me know what you think!


End file.
